Most think of Raja Ampat for its reefs and the life upon the reef, the abundant waters also contain marine megafauna, including manta rays (both species), multiple species of marine mammal including whales, dolphins and dugongs. Whilst devoid of poison or sharp teeth, these are very large wild animals, who like all species, have mechanisms for defence against predators or other threats.   Do not mistake them for ‘gentle giants’, any human who disturbs these species or disrupts their natural behaviour could very well find themselves receiving – a potentially life threatening – slap from a whale tail, a sudden back roll of a manta (their means of defending themselves from predators).

Whilst dangerous encounters are extremely rare; it is advised to treat these very large animals with full respect and keep your distance. In the same way you would not approach an elephant in the savannah, and not approach marine megafauna too closely.

A spectacular looking fish, Lionfish are a type of Scorpion fish that are frequently sighted in Raja Ampat’s waters.  With an imposing fan of long venomous spines, the Lionfish is a popular sighting and favourite amongst photographers.   These fish are not aggressive towards people, yet accidental contact with the spines of a lionfish will result in intense pain and swelling around the wound site.   Although the worst of the pain is over within hours, some may experience pain or sensations for days, or even weeks.  On very rare occasions, if the venom spreads to other parts of the body, people may experiences, headaches, nausea, chills, cramps, or even paralysis and seizure.

A close relative to the lionfish/scorpion fish, Stonefish are amongst the most venomous fish in the world.  Found in shallow tropical waters, reef flats and shallow lagoons with rubble or sandy areas and in small pools during low tide, where they are well camouflaged on the substrate.They can survive out of the water for up to 24hours, meaning the could be located in very shallow regions that fringe beaches.

Lying perfectly still, the stonefish is incredibly difficult to see, and human injury tends to occur through accidental touch: stepping on the fish, picking it up as a pretty/unusual stone, or brushing against it whilst in the water.  Through it’s dorsal fin spines, stonefish can inject a venom that causes intense pain and swelling at the site of the wound, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat or heat failure, circulatory issues, nausea, vomiting, seizures, paralysis, delirium of unconsciousness.  In some cases, venom can result in death.

Like all species in this list, they are not aggressive towards humans, however, will use their natural defence mechanism if threatened, in this instance through touch.

One look at a moray eel should be enough to tell anyone not to mess with this marine species. With visibly powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth, moray eels do not like to be disturbed and tend to stay in their holes, in crevices or within reefs as much as possible.  Accidents occur when people are putting their hands where they are not supposed to (ie: in holes, on reefs), lack of awareness leads to getting too close to a moray eel, or attempting to handfeed a moray eel – an activity that will surely see you lose your fingers!

Raja Ampat is as abundant on land as it is under the water; the dense forest covering the island archipelago is filled with life.  Snakes, pythons, monitor lizards, wild boar and spiders are present, however, the likelihood of a dangerous encounter is extremely low, almost non-existent.  Typically these animals will stay away, or move away from any human activity.   In the instance of an encounter, like all the other wild species listed – do not try to get too close, distrupt or disturb animals natural behavior, and definitely do not touch.

There are a number of ‘stray dogs’ present in or near villages in Raja Ampat.  Whilst these dogs are accustomed to the presence of humans, they are not accustomed to being held and patted.  May of these dogs are very wary of humans. Do not approach them the way you would approach a ‘pet dog’, and do not feed them by hand.

Whilst humans are not a significant or direct threat to other humans in the water, when irresponsible or careless, they can pose a significant threat marine environment when in or on the sea. 
From breaking corals (anchors, boat strike, kicking, trampling), harming marine life (touching, boat strike, illegal fishing) through to plastic and chemical pollution, waste water, runoff and eutrophication – humans can cause significant damage to marine environments, and therefore the other humans that depend on them for food and livelihoods.

Be a Responsible Visitor in Raja Ampat, and do not harm to the environment you have chosen to visit. Refer to  “Responsible Tourism”    

Additionally, by being a repsonsible diver and responsible dive buddy, most, if not all, scuba and snorkelling incidents can be avoided.