Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Photo: Selene E. Jacobo Cabral · CC BY-NC-ND

Dozens of lobsters shelter in the overhangs and crevices lining the cavern walls, emerging at night to forage on the adjacent reef. The protected marine status of the area has allowed populations to recover to densities unusual in the wider Caribbean. Their aggregations inside the cave draw cleaning wrasse and provide a visible indicator of the reserve's effectiveness.