From the deepest navy blue to the brightest, clearest turquoise and absolutely teeming with marine life, Shark Bay's crystal clear waters offer the chance to experience once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters.
Dugong Shark Bay's sheltered waters support the world's largest meadows of seagrass and are home to an estimated population of more than 10,000 dugongs, about 10% of the world population! Resembling a walrus but related to an elephant, dugongs are shy gentle mammals that can grow up to 400 kg. The best place to see these endangered mammals is on a wildlife watching cruise or if you're very lucky, from Eagle Bluff or Skipjack Point in the Francois Peron National Park.
Humpback Whales visit Shark Bay in great numbers between August and October. The whales migrate up the coast to their calving grounds in the Kimberley and then return with their calves where they rest and play in the calm protected waters of Shark Bay. You can spot Humpbacks from many view points on Dirk Hartog Island and Edel Land National Park or join a seasonal whale watching tour.
Pelicans Australian pelicans are large black and white birds with an enormous bill and bright yellow eyes. Capturing the hearts of so many visitors, these beautiful birds can be found regularly at Monkey Mia, often trying to steal fish from the dolphins!
Did you know that although the Australian pelican is not the largest pelican in the world, it does have the longest beak of any bird on earth – up to 50cms long!
Sharks There are at least 28 shark species in Shark Bay. The most impressive is the Tiger Shark or "thaaka" in Malgana language. The most common to spot is the Nervous Shark, a small shark that gets its name due to its timid nature. Shark Bay is a perfectly safe place to swim and enjoy the beautiful turquoise water.
Did you know English explorer William Dampier named the area 'Sharks Bay' in 1699 in honour of these magnificent fish?
Rays closely related to sharks, there are six common species of ray in Shark Bay. You'll spot graceful manta rays and eagle rays gliding through the water. The shovel-nose ray is a common sighting in the shallow sandy bays of the region. This ray looks like a flat shark, but with the mouth on the underside and no sting in his tail – completely harmless but can grow up to a giant 2.7m.
Turtles More than 6,000 turtles live in Shark Bay, the green and loggerhead turtles are endangered, however you're still likely to spot them in Shark Bay. Turtle Bay on Dirk Hartog Island is one of Australia's most important nesting area's for loggerhead turtles.
Turtles take more than 30 years to reach maturity, nest every 3–5 years and can live more than 100 years. Long-term study is helping researchers understand turtle life cycle and identify regular patterns of behaviour and responses to unexpected events.