Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument

The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument is the most widespread collection of coral reef, seabird, and shorebird protected areas on the planet. The monument is refuge to many threatened, endangered, and depleted species, including giant clams and sea turtles, and provides a foraging habitat for the world’s largest remaining colonies of sooty terns, lesser frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and red-tailed tropicbirds. Scientists are studying the submerged seamounts of the monument to learn more about their mineral-rich crusts, as well as their deepwater corals that may provide a habitat for species not yet known to humans.