The situation of Réunion allows it to enjoy a biodiversity and a marine wildlife exceptional,
that it is in the reefs and the lagoons, but also with the fishes and the inhabitants of the open sea.
the inhabitants of the open sea
At sea, the marine wildlife is home to many species of fish, some very huge. Humpback whales come every year in Reunion waters, but sea turtles, sharks, dolphins, rays, barracudas, tunas, swordfish, sea bream and other marlins (sailfish) to name but the main ones aloso crisscross the coasts and off the coast island.
MARINE TURTLES: of the seven or eight species of marine turtles recorded in the world, two are observable near the Reunion coast: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and others further offshore: turtles nailing, olivâtre and luth. Reunion is a former turtle nesting area, which they had deserted because of hunting and urbanization, but the important efforts made in recent years to raise awareness and protect these animals and the creation of the center Kelonia on marine turtles in Saint-Leu have helped improve the situation and turtles return to lay on the Reunion coast.
WHALES: Every year, from April to November, humpback whales come back from Antarctica, which is their feeding zone, to breed and give birth to their offspring in Reunion waters. Grand spectacle of nature to be able to observe these gigantic animals, for which Reunion asked the inscription of the way of the whales with the world heritage of Unesco. Other whale species are also observable off the Reunion: Blainville's beaked whale, Cuvier's beaked whale, Longeant's beaked whale or right.
DOLPHINS: Several species of dolphins cross in Reunion waters, which can be observed quite easily for some of them, such as the long-necked dolphin that lives in bands, sometimes with spotted dolphins or Fraser dolphins, or the bottlenose dolphin of the Indo-Pacific, found on the west coast off Saint-Gilles or in the bay of Saint-Paul. They can be more or less players depending on the time of day, and probably their desires.
Experience an unusual and unforgettable encounter and discover a part of this magnificient waters wildlife during our "Cetacean" cruise.
