Temae Beach Scavenger Hunt Dataset

Temae Beach, located on the eastern tip of Mo’orea, is home to one of the most biodiverse coral reefs in the South Pacific. The sector of Temae where our evaluation took place is a marine protected area (MPA), and adjacent to it is a control area. The location and management of Temae Beach present an interesting dynamic. It is protected under the MPA while also being home to a public beach and private overwater bungalows, battling active community disputes over the privatization of the shore. Through the Scavenger Hunt assignment, the UC Berkeley Island Sustainability Program (ISP) 2025 cohort was tasked with exploring the reef’s biodiversity by identifying and photographing species across various categories: Algae & Cyanobacteria, Sponges, Corals & Cnidarians, Marine Worms, Mollusks (Bivalves & Gastropods), Flatworms, Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Tunicates & Bryozoans, Fish, Large Marine Animals, Birds, as well as ecological interactions. Our exploration and data collection took place on February 8, 2025, focusing on species active during the daytime.