Vulnerable· population decreasing· assessed 2019

Giant Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

Sighting evidence at Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico

Photo: Marina · CC BY

Desecheo's protected reefs shelter some of the largest tarpon aggregations in Puerto Rico, with silver-scaled individuals exceeding 1.5 m cruising the deeper pinnacles and canyon walls. Their primordial, armour-plated appearance and calm demeanour around divers make encounters genuinely spectacular.

Evidence at this site

8 records within 25 km

Confidence: medium

Last confirmed May 2026

Seasonality

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How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.