Animals of the Atoll

*The variety of animals on a coral atoll is limited because of great distance between atolls and other land masses; birds, crabs, insects, scorpions, centipedes, lizards, and bats are usually found.

Great marine turtles can often be seen surfacing offshore and coming to land to lay their eggs.

* Most creatures that live on atolls tend to be smaller than other members of their species that live where food is more plentiful. The exception is coconut crab, the largest of its kind seen anywhere.It climbs coconut palms to eat its fruit.

Birds nest on atolls; they use it as a stepping stone as they migrate. Some come from half the world away. Some like booby and frigate bird, have never left sight of land.They eat fish and get their water also from fish which they desalinate within their bodies. Their waste called guano is rich in phosphate and enriches the soil so it can support more life including algae.