The Bay Islands, and Utila in particular, have some of the best reef systems in the world because of their location on the edge of the continental shelf at the transition between shallow-water and deep-water habitats.

Almost all (98%) of the species of marine life known to inhabit the Caribbean have been identified in the waters here. The Turtle Harbor Marine Reserve is the epitome of this transitional environment and is home to several dive sites.  A large variety of reef fish are found across all the dive sites in Turtle Harbor and with a little luck larger pelagic fish can be seen coasting in from the open ocean.

Turtle Harbour is an important Hawksbill nesting area, as well as home to the endemic black iguana. All this and more has made this area an important marine reserve.

Hunted over the years for their beautiful shells, Hawksbill turtles are considered to be critically endangered. The Hawksbill turtle has a narrow head and a long, tapered beak shaped similarly to that of a bird of prey, hence the name. The scutes on their shells are misleadingly known as tortoiseshell and are sought after in some parts of the world to make jewelry and other ornaments. Trade in all wild marine turtles and their parts is currently banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) but some illegal trade continues to endanger the species. Please don't buy genuine tortoiseshell items at home or abroad.