The gigantic, harmless Whale Shark , the world's largest fish, is a frequent visitor to Mnemba. A host of other sharks and rays are also present. Game fish include barracuda and marlin, and these are tagged before being released. Corals need sunlight to function, but they are not plants. In addition to the great variety of fish, coral reefs are home to a host of other fascinating creatures including spectacular anemones, nudibranches, starfish, crabs and molluscs.
Some birds capture small invertebrates, sand shrimps and sea lice.
Those frequently seen on the shores are Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, and the Mongolian or Lesser Sandplover. An abundance of water and wading birds are sighted daily. At high tide, flocks of wading birds can be seen on sandbars at Mnemba. This may not seem remarkable until it is realised that most of these birds are thousands of kilometres away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra. What is even more phenomenal is that they undertake the long trip from the frozen north to the African tropics twice a year throughout their lives.