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  3. French Polynesia

French Polynesia

Oceania

140

Documented species

1

Parks and reserves

3

Dive sites

Parks and reserves

Diving and snorkelling

Species documented in French Polynesia

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140 species found

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Based on what we already know about French Polynesia.

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Biosphere Reserve

Fakarava

One of the best places in the world to see the largest documented aggregation of grey reef sharks during the groupers' annual spawning

See park
Atoll pass/Pelagic

Fakarava (Shark Wall)

The second largest atoll in French Polynesia, with an enormous lagoon and only two passes connecting it to the ocean: Garuae to the north, the widest navigable channel in Polynesia at some 1,600 m, and Tumakohua to the south, barely a hundred metres across. It is in that southern pass that the "shark wall" forms: hundreds of grey reef sharks resting in formation through the day as the current floods in.

See dive site
Lagoon/Reef

Bora Bora

An iconic turquoise lagoon with manta ray cleaning stations reachable even by beginners.

See dive site
Atoll pass/Current

Rangiroa (Tiputa Pass)

The second-largest atoll in the world. At the mouth of the Tiputa Pass a shoal of grey sharks gathers at around 40 m when the current is right.

See dive site
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Brown-line PaperbubbleNot Evaluated

Brown-line Paperbubble

Hydatina physis

Giant African SnailNot Evaluated

Giant African Snail

Lissachatina fulica

Green SnailNot Evaluated

Green Snail

Turbo marmoratus

Tiger CowrieNot Evaluated

Tiger Cowrie

Cypraea tigris

Head CoralNot Evaluated

Head Coral

Favia favus

Organ Pipe CoralNot Evaluated

Organ Pipe Coral

Tubipora musica

Blue GlaucusNot Evaluated

Blue Glaucus

Glaucus atlanticus

Long-spined UrchinNot Evaluated

Long-spined Urchin

Diadema antillarum

Crown-of-thorns StarfishNot Evaluated

Crown-of-thorns Starfish

Acanthaster planci

Christmas Tree WormNot Evaluated

Christmas Tree Worm

Spirobranchus giganteus

Bobbit WormNot Evaluated

Bobbit Worm

Eunice aphroditois

Persian Carpet FlatwormNot Evaluated

Persian Carpet Flatworm

Pseudobiceros bedfordi

Page 8 of 12
Fish in French Polynesia4 species
ParkFakarava
DivingFakarava (Shark Wall)