Nudibranchs of Palau

Staff · Issue 28, Jan/Feb 2006 · pp. 22–27

Over the past decade the Palau archipelago has become one of the most famous destinations on the planet for serious divers. There are few locations on earth that can compare to the overall marine biodiversity found within such a confined area, all within a 45-55 minute boat ride from Koror, the nation’s capital. This group of islands, uplifted during volcanic activity caused by tectonic plate shifts, is over 30 million years old. Subsequently, coral reefs have been growing ever since the uplift, creating a myriad of habitats for marine life. Divers arrive in Palau looking forward to the reliable and exhilarating shark encounters, schooling fishes, manta rays, and World War II wrecks. Few people visit the islands anticipating the amount of invertebrate life that proliferates throughout the mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs surrounding the islands. Whatever people’s underwater inte…