One of Earth’s most remote and biologically diverse ocean reefs has become a magnet for poachers. But a dedicated group of rangers works to protect the diverse sea life of Helen Reef—and safeguard an area that has sustained Palau’s people for generations.
Palau is an archipelago of hundreds of islands with only about 20,000 people. It rises from the western Pacific Ocean near Indonesia. Hatohobei state, which includes Helen Island and Helen Reef, has only a few dozen inhabitants. From that small group come the Hatohobei State Rangers.
The rangers patrol Helen Reef, a 40-square-mile atoll. The reef is home to numerous plants and animals, including Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, hawksbill sea turtles, and sea cucumbers. More than 500 other fish species, giant clams, sharks, rays, and hundreds of hard and soft coral species also thrive in its protected waters.
