Nature & Science

Hundreds of species of colorful fish can be observed on the reef.

NPS photo by Kara Wall

Biscayne National Park protects four distinct ecosystems that melt into one another creating rich edge communities or "ecotones." These communities support an incredible array of wildlife including manatees, sea turtles, hundreds of species of birds and fish, and plants and insects found nowhere else in the United States. Winds, currents, storms and the park's close proximity to one of the nation's largest urban areas means that the entire park is constantly adapting to challenges posed by both nature and humans.