The Fringing Reef In stark contrast to the land and the lagoon,


the coral reefs on the edges of the islands team with life. More than 90 diff erent kinds of corals, as well as sea fans, sea worms, and sponges, create a habitat for an abundance of fi sh. T e fi sh range from ferocious bohar


snappers to butterfl y fi sh to dwarf gobies. Octopuses and giant groupers lurk in cracks and crevices. T e big bohars, bright red and nearly 80 centimeters long, have fearsome teeth. T e even-bigger potato groupers, some more then two meters long, join the bohars in making the reef treacherous. I like to explore the reef without SCUBA


gear, holding my breath for a few minutes at a time. With just a mask, snorkel, fi ns, and a weight belt, I can swim through the water more easily. But I have to be careful, because sharks swim here, too.


Predators’ Paradise Tawny nurse sharks hide in coral caves during


the day. At night, they come out to feed on crabs and other nocturnal creatures. Black-tip reef sharks are the most common of the sharks. T ey are not dangerous, but they are powerful. So, I need to be respectful. Sharks are at the top of the food chain. T ey


hunt the hordes of medium-sized fi sh as well as large, predatory fi sh. By keeping the other predators in check, sharks help maintain the diversity of the reef ecosystem. Scientists think that if sharks were not present, other predators such as groupers or snappers would take over. T ey might reduce the number of small fi sh that feed on seaweed and algae. T en the seaweed would overgrow and


smother the living corals. Eventually, the corals would die, leaving only jellies, algae, and bacteria where once there was a thriving coral reef community.


Black-tip reef sharks hunt on the reef fl ats during high tide and retreat to deep channels or the open ocean at low tide.


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