Contexts - Rough Guide to Fiji - page 328

species, owing to their high levels of testosterone. Tiger sharks have a distinct mottled skin
tone and are occasionally encountered on the shark-feeding dives carried out in Beqa Lagoon.
Hammerheads are the most timid of the three and stick to deeper waters. Shark attacks in
Fiji are incredibly rare. Those that have occurred have almost always involved local spear
fishermen carrying bloody, injured fish.
Rays
Three types of rays are found in Fiji. The largest are the bat-like manta rays that can grow
to over 4m in width and are often seen around the Yasawa Islands. The smaller stingray is
harder to spot, preferring to bury itself in the sandy bottom of lagoons. Armed with a razor-
sharp venomous barb, stingrays only present a danger when stood upon - always look before
settling on a patch of sand. The rarest type of ray in Fiji is the beautiful spotted eagle ray .
This species, which features numerous white spots on an inky blue body, hunts in the open
ocean.
Turtles
Four species of sea turtle - loggerhead, leatherback, green and hawksbill - lay their eggs
deep in the sand of Fiji's coral cays. Hawksbill turtles are the most common, and can be found
in Fiji's oceans year-round while greens and leatherbacks only visit during the nesting season
(Nov-Feb) - the latter is the largest type of sea turtle and is sadly becoming a rare sight.
Invertebrates
Marine invertebrates include crustaceans, molluscs and starfish as well as sponges and sea
anemones. One of the most fascinating is the colourful nudibranch or “sea slug”. Tiny
creatures, barely the width of a fingernail, nudibranchs come in over three thousand varieties.
Their Latin name means “naked gills” and refers to the feather-like appendages above their
bodies. Also found crawling across the reef are tiny coral shrimps . Certain species of shrimp
creep into the mouths of reef fish to clear away parasites. Found on the bottom of shallow
lagoons is the leathery sea cucumber . Also known as “bêche de mer”, sea cucumbers are
considered a delicacy in China and are gathered by local fishermen for export.
The islands' seagrass beds and coral reefs also provide habitats for three species of sea
snakes including the distinctive black and white banded sea snake. Hermit crabs in stolen
shells can be seen crawling around most beaches leaving curious trails in their wake, while
massive coconut crabs , whose claws are so powerful that they can rip through the husk of a
coconut, make a tasty meal if caught - a tin strip is often wrapped around the trunk of coconut
palms to stop the crab from climbing up to scavenge the nuts.
Sea birds
Nineteen species of endemic sea birds are found in Fiji's lagoons, most nesting on tiny coral
and limestone islands or on cliff edges along the larger islands. The stately frigate bird is the
largest of this group and its distinctive split tail outline is often seen high in the sky and near