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goes into overdrive. Resident manta rays are often found
gathering near particular sites during full moons in the early
months of each year. Around the new moons in June, July
and August, large numbers of groupers establish themselves
in channels to mate. Reef-building corals tend to mass spawn
just after full moons in April and September.
In one way or another, the moon influences all marine life
here, from sharks, which show frisky mating behaviors early in
the year, to hawksbill and green turtles, which lay their eggs on
protected beaches according to lunar cycles. Local fishermen
rely on the moon to bring them particular species of fish that
migrate around the islands, while dive guides focus on particular
reef sites according to lunar rhythms, currents and associated
marine life. Even for people who normally pay little attention to
that orbiting sphere up in the heavens, in Palau its influence on
coral-reef ecosystems is year-round and cannot be ignored.
FLUSH WITH DIVERSITY
Dividing the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea, Palau is
within swimming distance of the edge of the Coral Triangle,
the global center of marine biodiversity. It’s approximately
600 miles east of Mindanao, Philippines, and 600 miles
north of Papua, Indonesia. Its conglomeration of volcanic
and limestone islands form an important biogeographic
stepping-stone and have been colonized over geologic time
by species that floated, rafted, swam, drifted, blew or flew
from the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and other
islands. An estimated 1,500 species of fish, 700 of coral and
thousands of other reef invertebrates vie for resources within
the innumerable habitats and niches squished into a finite
area. Endemic marine species continually turn up as more
scientific surveys are conducted. Wherever the initial diversity
originated, the archipelago’s lush forests, seagrass beds, marine
From left: Divers descend along a plumb wall where a dendronephthya
soft coral reaches into the water column. It’s hard to resist a dip in
Palau’s inviting, aquamarine water. When the moon is full, hundreds of
mantas may converge to feed at the northern reefs around Babeldaob
Divemaster Nicole Veltman observes a giant clam and soft coral.
F ROM L E F T : P HO T O S B Y E T H A N D A N I E L S , WE ND Y C A P I L I - W I L K I E , MA ND Y E T P I S ON , G E R I MUR P H Y
IN