Among the special features that the equatorial region of Africa and its ecosystem can offer are mangroves. The importance of these aquatic plants has already been recounted by us in various articles, but there is also a tasty and pleasant aspect, as well as a lucrative one for those who take care of them and thus are led by interest to protect the ecosystem generated: the cultivation of mangrove oysters.
In Kenya, this food, prized around the world as a "VIP food," actually has a low cost and a special goodness due to the natural nourishment the mollusks can boast, the fact that they grow in the wild and the little contamination (for now...) of the Indian Ocean.

Mangrove oysters live among the roots of these very useful plants, especially in the creeks (creeks) of Kilifi and Mambrui, but also on the Tanzanian border.
The shell has a flat part and a curved part on which the mollusk lies, and the two shells are held together by a ligament. Even after a few hours out of the water, the shell remains closed and allows the oyster to keep some water inside, remaining alive for a longer time, which is also why its freshness is preservable and the flavor remains predominantly marine and not peculiar like its large Breton or Mediterranean cousins.

Mangrove oysters moreover take advantage of the tides to reproduce, as well as thrive thanks to warm waters that are not too salty.
In Kilifi they are harvested especially for sale, and often women's cooperatives collect them at low tide, while men often have the task of delivering them to buyers and often opening them while still alive.
To collect them, mangrove branches are held with a special forked stick, while the "panga," the local machete, is often used to open them.
In the past, in times of famine, the Mijikenda and Swahili people of the coastal region consumed them in turn dried or cooked soups with them, also using coconut milk. The mangrove oyster is an excellent source of protein.

In terms of catering and hospitality tourism, the tasty little mangrove oysters are often served fresh, on a bed of ice and lime, with black pepper or tabasco served on the side. But there is also the Swahili recipe from Mombasa, for which they are prepared with a mixture of grated coconut and garlic, and then gratinated with a light addition of oil or butter.

Unfortunately, due to invasive harvesting without care, mangrove oysters are in danger of disappearing. The harvesting method harms the environment and the reproduction of the plants themselves. Above all, it is the cutting of the mangrove roots that is causing the slow decline of the plants, and the damage caused will be not only to shellfish (and crabs, other fish fauna that live in harmony with these wonderful environment-protecting plants), but to beach and shoreline retreat and rainfall.
In short, the more mangrove oysters in Kenya, the healthier its land will be!