Mangroves in Cozumel at Risk: Up to 25% Damaged by Pollution and Invasive Species

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Up to a quarter of Cozumel’s mangroves have been damaged or severely degraded by urban expansion, pollution, and invasive species, according to local environmentalists.

Although more than 70% of the island falls under some form of protection, data from the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) indicates that between 15% and 25% of the original mangrove area already shows deterioration.

Lupita Martín, a representative of the environmental group Conservación, Investigación y Manejo Ambiental de Cozumel, said real estate and tourism development are among the main pressures on these ecosystems, particularly when construction alters vegetation, dunes, wetlands, or natural water flows.

“The mangrove needs to maintain its natural dynamics and connection with other ecosystems. When land is filled, terrain is altered, or contaminants arrive, the damage begins,” she said.

Martín also pointed to wastewater discharges and filtration into the subsoil as a growing concern. Given Cozumel’s porous limestone terrain, contaminants can reach the aquifer and eventually coastal ecosystems, she warned.

Environmentalist Jenni Chan noted that wetlands serve multiple ecological functions, including providing refuge and breeding grounds for various species, trapping sediment, and reducing wave and storm impacts along certain coastal areas.

“There is a connection between the aquifer, mangroves, seagrasses, and reefs. Changes in one of these environments can affect the others, so conservation must be approached comprehensively,” Chan said.

Restoration efforts are underway in zones such as Laguna Colombia, located within the Punta Sur park. These include rehabilitating hydrological flows and other interventions aimed at encouraging natural regeneration.

Manuel Sánchez, a volunteer in environmental activities, stressed that rehabilitation must be paired with prevention. “Restoring an area takes time; that is why it is also necessary to prevent new damage and keep wetlands under surveillance,” he said.

The activists added that preservation will depend on both restoration programs and enforcement of environmental regulations governing new developments and activities in coastal zones.