Abrolhos Banks
Brazil · Southeast Brazil
A remote reef archipelago off the coast of Bahia, the Abrolhos Banks host the highest density of humpback whales in the South Atlantic from June to November, alongside unique mushroom-shaped chapeirão coral formations found nowhere else on Earth.
Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos
Awarded 2020
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Improving under protection: reef fish biomass on the fully protected reefs of this national marine park reached about 148 grams per square metre, roughly eighteen times the 8 grams per square metre on the most heavily fished reefs nearby (Bruce et al. 2012).
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Quiet water, and fishing is fully banned here.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
24 species across the dive sites here
French Angelfish
Seen 4 months ago
at Ilha Guarita
Least concern
Magnificent Frigatebird
Seen 4 months ago
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Brazilian Creole Wrasse
Seen 5 months ago
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Seen 6 months ago
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Vulnerable
Green Sea Turtle
Seen 7 months ago
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Black Grouper
Seen 7 months ago
at Ilha Guarita
Near threatened
Humpback Whale
Seen 10 months ago
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Peach-Fronted Parakeet
Seen May 2025
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Least concern
Greenback Parrotfish
Seen Feb 2025
at Timbebas Reef
Endangered
Red-Billed Tropicbird
Seen Jul 2024
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Brown Noddy
Seen Jul 2024
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Spotted Eagle Ray
Seen Jan 2024
at Timbebas Reef
Endangered
Abrolhos Chromis
Seen year round
at Parcel das Paredes
Least concern
Atlantic Manta Ray
Seen year round
at Parcel das Paredes
Endangered
Atlantic Spadefish
Seen year round
at Timbebas Reef
Least concern
Caribbean Reef Shark
Seen year round
at Parcel das Paredes
Endangered
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Seen year round
at Ilha Guarita
Critically endangered
Nurse Shark
Seen year round
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Vulnerable
Southern Atlantic Grouper
Seen year round
at Ilha Guarita
Scalloped Hammerhead
Seasonal visitor
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Critically endangered
Silky Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Vulnerable
Whale Shark
Seasonal visitor
at Timbebas Reef
Endangered
Brazilian Starlet Coral
Rare sighting
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Least concern
Caribbean Reef Squid
Rare sighting
at Sebastião Gomes Reef
Least concern
Dive sites
Parcel das Paredes
humpback whale · caribbean reef shark · atlantic manta ray · abrolhos chromis
Ilha Guarita
hawksbill sea turtle · french angelfish · southern atlantic grouper · magnificent frigatebird
Sebastião Gomes Reef
scalloped hammerhead · silky shark · nurse shark · loggerhead sea turtle
Timbebas Reef
whale shark · atlantic spadefish · spotted eagle ray · green sea turtle