Meet The Great 8

The Great Barrier Reef’s unofficial bucket list of marine life

Many people have heard of Africa’s “Big Five”— the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo. What most don’t realize is that the list originated from hunters. It referred to the five animals considered the most difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot.

The ocean has its own version, and thankfully, it’s built on a very different idea.

Created by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Great 8 celebrates some of the reef’s most iconic marine animals. Here are eight species every ocean lover hopes to see, and one surprising fact about each.

1. Clownfish.
Clownfish are born male. Within their social group, the largest fish becomes female, and if she dies, the dominant male changes sex and takes her place.  Finding Nemo did not get into this.

2. Giant clams.
The largest molluscs on Earth, giant clams can grow more than three feet long, weigh over 440 pounds, and live for more than 100 years. Hidden within their tissues are millions of tiny algae that use sunlight to produce nutrients. The relationship helps feed the clam and gives rise to the brilliant colors that make giant clams one of the reef’s most spectacular sights.

3. Māori wrasse.
These reef giants can grow up to six feet long and are instantly recognizable by the prominent bump on their forehead. Up close, their faces look as if someone doodled electric blue and green squiggles all over them. They’re also famously inquisitive, many divers report being followed around by a Māori wrasse for an entire dive.

4. Manta Rays.
Manta rays are among the largest fish in the ocean, with wingspans reaching up to 23 feet. Unlike other rays, manta rays have no stinging barb and are completely harmless to humans. The pattern of spots on a manta ray’s underside is unique to each individual. Scientists use these markings like fingerprints to identify and track specific animals.

5. Sea turtles.
Six of the world’s seven sea turtle species can be found on the Great Barrier Reef. After spending decades crossing the ocean, females return to the same beach where they were born to lay the next generation of eggs. Only about one in 1,000 hatchlings survives, but those that do may live for a century.

6. Humpback and dwarf minke whales.
After traveling thousands of miles from Antarctica, humpbacks arrive in the reef’s warmer waters each year. Their songs can be heard from miles away, and when it’s time to eat, they work together to create giant bubble nets that trap entire schools of fish.

7. Potato cod.
Named for the potato-shaped markings on their sides, these gentle giants can grow to the size of a refrigerator and weigh nearly 220 pounds. Despite their intimidating size, they’re famous for their curiosity and have been known to swim right up to divers for a closer look.

8. Sharks.
More than 130 shark species patrol the Great Barrier Reef. Some hide in plain sight like the wobbegong. Others, like the scalloped hammerhead and whale shark, have become icons of the ocean itself.