Napoleon Wrasse

Photo: Floyd E. Hayes · CC BY-NC

Napoleon wrasse are regularly encountered at the Blue Hole's rim and on the shallow reef plateau above it, a sign of the healthy ecosystem that Kosrae's protections have produced — this species is severely depleted at most Indo-Pacific sites due to targeted fishing for the live-reef-food-fish trade. At Kosrae they approach divers with curiosity, sometimes hovering within arm's reach while inspecting bubbles. Their large, scarred foreheads bear the marks of decades of growth, suggesting genuinely old individuals that have never been harassed.