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Wildlife · Destination Guide

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Tropical gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, minke whales, and rainforest-to-reef adventures

Updated Oct 29, 2025 • 13 sources

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Wildlife In Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Browse the full species list linked to approved dive spots in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef.

Green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Moorea, French Polynesia
turtles

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

11 linked spots

Photo of Nudibranch
molluscs

Nudibranch

11 linked spots

Photo of Whitetip Reef Shark
sharks

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

10 linked spots

orange and white clown fish
saltwater-fishes

Clownfish

9 linked spots

a fish swimming in water
saltwater-fishes

Parrotfish

8 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in some water
saltwater-fishes

Angelfish

7 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in the water
saltwater-fishes

Barracuda

7 linked spots

gray snake photography
rays

Moray Eel

6 linked spots

A fish that is sitting in the sand
saltwater-fishes

Butterfly Fish

5 linked spots

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) near Gilli Banta Island (near Komodo, Indonesia)
saltwater-fishes

Lionfish

5 linked spots

a blue and white fish in an aquarium
saltwater-fishes

Triggerfish

5 linked spots

Gestreifter Adlerrochen ( Pteromylaeus bovinus )
rays

Eagle Ray

4 linked spots

Photo of Grouper/Basslets
saltwater-fishes

Grouper/Basslets

4 linked spots

brown turtle in sea
turtles

Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

4 linked spots

Photo of Pipefish
seahorses-and-pipefishes

Pipefish

4 linked spots

Photo of Reef Manta Ray
rays

Reef Manta Ray

Mobula alfredi

4 linked spots

Photo of Sweetlips and Grunts
saltwater-fishes

Sweetlips and Grunts

4 linked spots

A blacktip reef shark swims over sandy seabed.
sharks

Blacktip Reef Shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus

3 linked spots

brown octopus swimming under the sea
molluscs

Cuttlefish

3 linked spots

Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) Image ID: corl0207, NOAA's Coral Kingdom Collection Location: Pacific Remote Islands, Kingman Reef Photo Date: 2015 Photographer: Kevin Lino NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD
sharks

Grey Reef Shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

3 linked spots

Photo of Tuna
saltwater-fishes

Tuna

3 linked spots

white shark under blue sky
sharks

Great Hammerhead Shark

Sphyrna mokarran

2 linked spots

Photo of Jackfish
saltwater-fishes

Jackfish

2 linked spots

Photo of Octopus
molluscs

Octopus

2 linked spots

Photo of Scorpionfish
saltwater-fishes

Scorpionfish

Scorpaenidae

2 linked spots

Photo of Shrimp
crustaceans

Shrimp

2 linked spots

green and black fish in body of water
rays

Stingrays

2 linked spots

a whale swimming in the ocean with a lot of fish around it
sharks

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

2 linked spots

Photo of Bass
freshwater-fishes

Bass

1 linked spots

a yellow and black spotted fish in an aquarium
saltwater-fishes

Boxfish

Ostraciidae (family)

1 linked spots

crab on rock
crustaceans

Crab

1 linked spots

a blue and yellow fish on a coral reef
saltwater-fishes

Damselfish

1 linked spots

Photo of Emperor
saltwater-fishes

Emperor

1 linked spots

Photo of Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
rays

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

1 linked spots

Photo of Guitarfish
rays

Guitarfish

1 linked spots

Photo of Loggerhead Turtle
turtles

Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta

1 linked spots

gray shark in body of water
sharks

Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

1 linked spots

Photo of Pufferfish
saltwater-fishes

Pufferfish

Tetraodontidae

1 linked spots

Photo of Seal
other-mammals

Seal

1 linked spots

Photo of Snapper
saltwater-fishes

Snapper

1 linked spots

Photo of Surgeonfish
saltwater-fishes

Surgeonfish

Acanthuridae

1 linked spots

Photo of Trumpetfish
saltwater-fishes

Trumpetfish

1 linked spots

Photo of Wobbegong
sharks

Wobbegong

1 linked spots

Photo of Wrasse
saltwater-fishes

Wrasse

1 linked spots