Tunnels Beach, is one of Kauai’s most biologically productive and culturally significant marine environments.
Here’s a snapshot of the marine life that snorkelers often see at Tunnels Beach when snorkeling over the inner reef and around the lava tube formations
Larger Animals
- Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) swimming or grazing on algae.
- Hawaiian monk seals (occasionally, resting or swimming nearby)
- Wild dolphins (sighted by some visitors farther offshore).(sighted by some visitors farther offshore).
- Sharks are part of the Tunnels Beach marine-life mix, especially because the lava “tunnels”/caves and reef structure create good resting and hunting habitat.
Reef Fish & Tropical Species
A wide variety of colorful fish make the reefs their home, including:
- Moray eels lurking in crevices.
- Tangs (e.g., convict, achilles, yellow tangs)
- Parrotfish (like bullethead, redlip)
- Butterflyfish (e.g., fourspot, raccoon)
- Surgeonfish & unicornfish
- Damselfish & sergeant majors
- Wrasses (including Hawaiian cleaner wrasse)
- Goatfish (yellowstripe, manybar, etc.)
- Snapper (like blacktail, bluestripe)
- Hogfish & hawkfish
- Cornetfish & trevally (omilu)
Other Creatures & Reef Life
- Sea urchins and sea cucumbers on the reef.
- Octopus species (often hidden near rocks and caves).
- Coral formations (like cauliflower and rice corals).