Green Sea Turtle

Photo: Itai Grisaru · CC BY-NC

Green turtles are the emblematic species of Nosy Tanikely, present in extraordinary numbers year-round — the marine reserve has become a stronghold for what is otherwise a species in decline across much of its range. They graze primarily on seagrass and algae, making them essential lawn-mowers of the reef flat that prevent algae from smothering coral. The reserve's no-take rules have allowed populations to stabilise and females return to nearby beaches to nest between November and March.