Mangroves are under threat nearly everywhere. Because of their high salt tolerance, mangroves are often among the first species to colonize mud and sandbanks flooded by seawater, but an increase in coastal development and altered land use led to a decline in global populations. Several species are listed as vulnerable or endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Mangroves in Myanmar are in major threat as the rate of deforestation is four times the global average. Shrimping is the major cause of the problem. In Thailand, Mexico and Indonesia, mangroves are often cut down to make room for temporary shrimp pens. But once the pens have been removed, the accumulated bio-waste renders the water too toxic for most forms of life.

Climate change is the biggest threat being faced by the Mangroves in India. Increase in temperatures, carbon dioxide concentration, rise in sea levels and extreme weather events like cyclones and droughts, are predicted to have deleterious effects on Indian mangroves. Sea level rise is probably the greatest threat facing coastal mangroves. Recent studies have shown that larger changes in sea level can lead to mangrove ecosystem collapse.

Pollution is on the rise in highly populated coastal metro cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta which face increased pollution load resulting in the decrease in mangrove cover. Mangroves in Maharashtra are almost extinct now due to continuous human exploitation.