There are countless natural swimming pools in Fernando de Noronha, so a direct contact with the varied and exotic sea fauna of the archipelago is possible. The water around the islands is crowded with fishes, sponges, seaweeds, shellfishes and corals, among which the most abundant in the archipelago, the Montastrea cavernosa.

Flat water
In the flat water there are coloured fishes, like the "donzela de rocas", the "sargentinho", the "coroca", and also the morays.

Deep water
In the deep water it is possible to find the following fishes: "frade", "budião", "ariquita", "piraúna" and "borboleta". The dogfishes, the peaceful "lambaru" and the rays can be seen resting on the ground.

Rotifer dolphins The dolphins of the species Stenella longirostris are known as rotifer dolphins due to the jumps with the rotating body they use to perform outside the water. These animals can reach a length of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 90 kg. They have a dark grey back with median light grey strips and a white abdomen. The pregnancy period is aprox. 10 and a half months and the younglet is born with a length of 80 cm. The rotifer dolphins are distributed all over the tropical and subtropical zones of all oceans. They are aggregative and have a sufficiently complex social behavior. They normally move in groups of two up to many hundreds of all ages and of both genders.

In Fernando de Noronha, the Dolphin Bay belvedere is the place where these animals can be observed in their natural environment. One of the most beautiful performances in the island can be seen every day at the sunrise, when rotifer dolphin groups move to inside the bay, where the sea is calm and protected. They use this area for resting, reproducing and suckling and in the afternoon they move to the high sea for eating small fishes and squids. This is the only place in the whole Atlantic Ocean where there are concentrations of rotifer dolphins. The prohibition of boat traffic and diving in the creek was established in 1986 as a protection measure, aiming the preservation of these animals. It shall be remembered that Federal Law no. 7643 prohibits to hunt, to capture and to annoy any species of cetaceans (dolphins, boutos and whales) in brazilian water.

Sea turtles
Two important beaches for "aruanã" turtle (Chelonia mydas) spawning are protected by the National Marine Reserve of Fernando de Noronha: the Leão Beach and the Sancho Beach..

Photo: Daisy Brizolla Two beachs of Fernando de Noronha are spawning points for the sea turtles

From November on the turtles can be observed in groups on the water surface, when the adult males dispute the females, so beginning the reproduction period of this species in the archipelago. During the rain season (December up to May) the females come to these beaches during the night to lay the eggs, which incubate during 50 days. By diving in the Reserve it is possible to observe young and adult hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), a highly menaced species, as their shell is very appreciated for making glasses, combs and bijouteries. The hawksbill turtles use the archipelago only as a growing and feeding place. Their origin and their migratory routes are unknown by the researchers.

The Natiopnal Center for Conservation and Sea Turtle Management TAMAR / IBAMA watches over the females, eggs and reproduction environments and also evaluates the turtle population in the archipelago since 1984. These animals are protected by decree-law, which establishes the prohibition of capture, fishing and annoying all chelonian species in brazilian water.

For more information: http://www.tamar.org.br.

In the archipelago there are natural and brought in animals: Natural Animals Three endemic species exist in Fernando de Noronha: the "sebito" bird (Vireo gracilirostris), the gecko (Mabuya maculata) and the blind worm (Amphisbaena ridleyana). The crab (Gecarcinus lagostoma) spends his youth and adult period in land and spawns in the sea. Brought in animals Some species of sylvan animals were brought to the archipelago by man. There are the "teju" (Tupinambis teguxim), the "mocó" (Kerodon rupestris) and the sheeps, which are raised today in restricted areas in order not to damage the archipelago flora.

FOWL FAUNA

Fourty fowl species are registered in the archipelago, which shelter the biggest reproduction colonies of seafowl among the Tropical South Atlantic islands.

Photo: Antônio Melcop Noronha shelt the biggest reproductive colony of sea birds among the South Atlantic Tropical Ocean Islands

Native fowl Among the protected fowl by the National Reserve the most common is the "viuvinha" (Anous minutos). Other great concentration fowl in the archipelago are the great "viuvinha" (Anous stolidus), the "trinta réis de manto negro" (Sterna fuscata) and the white "viuvinha" (Gygis alba). It's also possible to find six species of pelican relative fowl in all islands: the big white "mumbebo" (Sula dactylatra), the brown "mumbebo" (Sula leucogaster), the red paw "mumbebo" (Sula sula), the "catraia" (Fregata magnificens) and two charming species: the "rabo de junco" with yellow beak (Phaeton lepturos) and the one with red beak (Phaeton aethereus). In the woods there are the "sebito" (Vireo gracilirostris), an insectivorous and frugivorous bird, which became already endemic, the "cucuruta" (Elaenia spectabilis reidleyana) and the "arribaçã" (Zenaida auriculata noronha).

Migratory fowl
There is a fowl group that visit the Reserve: it's the long distance migratory fowl, generally proceeding from the north hemisphere. This fowl arrives for resting and feeding purposes. They are twelve species of "maçaricos" and "batuíras", from which the most common is the "vira pedra" (Arenaria interpress).