Map and Background
Featuring impossibly green mountains exploding out of opal blue waters, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is like no other place on earth. CORAL's current fieldwork is focused on the island of Misool. A virtual paradise under the water as well as above the water, these incredible islands are home to an abundance of marine creatures, with new species being discovered all the time (jump to map).
Reef Biodiversity
- 600 species of mollusks
- 450 species of hard coral
- 1,100 species of reef fish
Reef Facts
- The region consists of 180,000 square kilometers and more than 2,500 islands covered in dense foliage.
- Indonesian reefs help produce 3.6 million tons of fish for one of the largest marine fisheries in the world.
- A variety of unusual species are found in Raja Ampat, including the giant clam, the red bird of paradise, leatherback turtles, orca whales, and many dolphin, shark, and ray species.
- The epaulette or “walking” shark, which uses its fins to walk on the sea floor, was recently discovered in Raja Ampat.
- 52 new species have been discovered in this location alone.






