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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Africa

Africa

Côte d'Ivoire

A turtle coast in the south-west with the country's first marine protected area.

Leatherback turtle
Leatherback turtle, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: Max Gotts on Unsplash
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: Foreign travel advice Cote d'Ivoire, UK FCDO; Cote d'Ivoire safety and security, UK FCDO; Creating Cote d'Ivoire's first marine protected area, Rainforest Trust.

Why: Grand-Béréby became Côte d'Ivoire's first marine protected area in December 2020, covering about 2,600 square kilometres of reef and sea where leatherback, green and olive ridley turtles nest and feed, alongside more than 20 species of sharks and rays. The local group Conservation des Espèces Marines works with eco-guards from 13 villages to protect the beaches and nests. We love this story and follow it from the shore, and our promise stays the same: we give turtles space, never touch them and never disturb a nest.

Turtles

Why Côte d'Ivoire

Grand-Béréby, in the south-west, is home to leatherback, olive ridley, green and hawksbill turtles, with nesting recorded from October to March. In 2020 it became the first marine protected area of Côte d'Ivoire, and a local group protects turtles and their nests there. The UK advises against all but essential travel near the Liberia border and warns about piracy in nearby waters.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

Dem. Rep. CongoSudanChadBrazilFranceSenegalMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaSierra LeoneBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.CongoGabonEq. GuineaZambiaAngolaGambiaAlgeriaLibyaS. SudanGrand-Béréby, Côte d'Ivoire

When to go

Oct-Mar. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We share this place as a story so you can learn. There is no Ocean Calling trip.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

Checked 6 Oct 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Côte d'Ivoire

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Grand-Béréby

Story only

A south-west coast with the first marine protected area in the country and busy turtle nesting beaches.

Also seen: Sea turtles (nesting beaches, community protection work)

When: Oct-Mar. Nesting is recorded from October to March. The border with Liberia is not far, so we would check government advice first.

Animals

Animals recorded in Côte d'Ivoire

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Leatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredMother and calf manatee diving together in the Casamance River, SenegalWest African manateeTrichechus senegalensisSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredShort-finned pilot whale surfacing off Tenerife with the island behindShort-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableNurse shark swimming over a reef at Fernando de Noronha, BrazilAtlantic nurse sharkGinglymostoma cirratumSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitespotted eagle ray gliding over reef and sand in BelizeWhitespotted eagle rayAetobatus narinariSeen in 58 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSmooth hammerhead swimming in clear blue open water off SpainSmooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaenaSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue shark swimming in open blue water off the Azores with a diver in the backgroundBlue sharkPrionace glaucaSeen in 50 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedHippopotamuses resting in a lagoon on Orango island with only their backs above the water and trees along the shoreCommon hippopotamusHippopotamus amphibiusSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLives on landVulnerableBlackchin guitarfish lying on pale sand beside rocks, with a shark-like tail and two tall dorsal finsBlackchin guitarfishGlaucostegus cemiculusSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSpiny dogfish resting on the seabed at the Josephine Marie shipwreck, Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuarySpiny dogfishSqualus acanthiasSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDusky grouper underwater at Cabo de Palos, SpainDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDiver beside an Atlantic goliath grouper at Dry Tortugas National ParkGoliath grouperEpinephelus itajaraSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableMilk sharkRhizoprionodon acutusSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTwo spotted ragged-tooth sharks resting under a rocky overhang at Aliwal Shoal, South AfricaRagged-tooth shark (sand tiger)Carcharias taurusSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredAtlantic weasel sharkParagaleus pectoralisSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasEndangeredCommon smooth-hound swimming just above a sandy seabed, with a slim grey-brown body and two dorsal finsCommon smooth-houndMustelus mustelusSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasEndangeredReed cormorant perched on a low stump among tall reedsReed cormorant (long-tailed cormorant)Microcarbo africanusSeen in 27 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a small-spotted catshark head, with dark spots, resting on the seabedSmall-spotted catshark (lesser spotted dogfish)Scyliorhinus caniculaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTope shark swimming in clear shallow water, seen from the sideTope shark (school shark)Galeorhinus galeusSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredAfrican darter with wings spread low over the water, droplets flyingAfrican darterAnhinga rufaSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBluntnose sixgill shark swimming over the seabed at depth in the Gulf of MexicoBluntnose sixgill sharkHexanchus griseusSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedMarbled electric ray lying on a sandy seabed, spotted pattern visibleMarbled electric rayTorpedo marmorataSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBrown ray resting on a sandy seabed, with a blue-centred eyespot on each wingBrown rayRaja miraletusSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernKitefin sharkDalatias lichaSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasVulnerableVelvet belly lanternshark swimming just above a dark seabed, with a violet sheen along its flankVelvet belly lanternsharkEtmopterus spinaxSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasVulnerableNursehound resting on a rocky ledge among spongesNursehoundScyliorhinus stellarisSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableCommon torpedo resting on sand, showing the dark spots on its round discCommon torpedo (ocellate torpedo)Torpedo torpedoSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSmooth lanternsharkEtmopterus pusillusSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSharpnose sevengill sharkHeptranchias perloSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedAtlantic torpedo (electric ray)Tetronarce nobilianaSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpiny butterfly ray resting on a sandy seabed among seagrassSpiny butterfly rayGymnura altavelaSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpinner shark swimming just under the surface of calm water, seen from aboveSpinner sharkCarcharhinus brevipinnaSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasVulnerableArrowhead dogfishDeania profundorumSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSmooth butterfly rayGymnura micruraSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBigeye thresherAlopias superciliosusSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasVulnerableCommon eagle ray seen from above, gliding over a rocky seabed with its long tail trailingCommon eagle rayMyliobatis aquilaSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredLongnose velvet dogfishCentroselachus crepidaterSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedLeafscale gulper sharkCentrophorus squamosusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBignose shark swimming above deep-sea coral, filmed from a research submersible off North CarolinaBignose sharkCarcharhinus altimusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedRough ray resting on a sandy seabed, with pale spots and eye-like marks on its discRough rayRaja radulaSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredRoughtail stingray resting half-buried in wet sand at the water's edgeRoughtail stingrayBathytoshia centrouraSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFinetooth sharkCarcharhinus isodonSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedRound stingray resting on a rocky reef off La Palma, Canary IslandsRound stingrayTaeniurops grabatusSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasNear Threatened
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Africa
AngolaBeninCabo VerdeCameroonDemocratic Republic of the CongoEquatorial GuineaGabonGambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauKenyaLiberiaMauritaniaMozambiqueNamibiaNigeriaRepublic of the CongoSaint HelenaSão Tomé and PríncipeSenegalSierra LeoneSouth AfricaTanzaniaTogoWestern Sahara

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