Complejo Jaltepeque is the second biggest brackish water area and intertidal forested wetland in El Salvador. The Site includes a variety of marine and coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, sandy beaches, freshwater lagoons, and stationary and permanent rivers. The different ecosystems support a rich diversity of species including 272 plants including the globally threatened mangrove Avicennia bicolor, Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata) and big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). The mangrove forest is an essential habitat for the 284 species found in the area, including the yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata), the red knot (Calidris canutus), and the great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) among others. Also found on the Site are 96 species of fish, 44 land mammals, at least eight amphibians, and 26 reptiles including vulnerable species listed on the IUCN Red List such as the scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), the whitenose shark (Nasolamia velox), the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). The Site is a source of artisanal fishing and tourism livelihoods for the surrounding communities. The main threats include deforestation for agriculture and livestock, illegal hunting, and pollution of the waters caused by domestic, agricultural and industrial discharges.