The Tana River Delta Ramsar Site is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) and the is the second most important estuarine and deltaic ecosystem in East Africa, with diverse freshwater, floodplain, estuarine and coastal habitats featuring extensive and varied mangrove systems, pristine beaches and shallow marine areas. This diversity of habitats contributes to the the ecological functions of the delta, enabling it to support a rich diversity of plants and animals. The delta is vital to the survival of many  threatened species such as the critically endangered Dugong dugon and Aders’ duiker (Cephalophus adersi), the endangered Tana River mangabey (Cercocebus galeritus) and Tana River Red colobus (Piliocolobus rufomitratus), and the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana). It also provides habitat for several marine species, including shrimp, crabs, mussels and fish, and is an important feeding and wintering area for migratory waterbirds, including wading birds, gulls and terns. It has over 600 plant species, including the endangered Cynometra lukei and Gonatopus marattioides. Human activities in the delta include fishing, small-scale family farming, mangrove wood harvesting, livestock grazing, tourism and also research, including ongoing protection and monitoring of nesting turtles and conservation of dugong.