report, it is likely that the mean flow associated with the ITF also plays a role in causing the blooms. Fauna The Ombai-Wetar corridor is heavily used by whales, dolphins, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and manta rays. The two straits combine to form a major migratory route for these species between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. East Timor, on the south side of the two straits, is a recognized 'global hotspot' for whales and dolphins. Ombai Strait in particular has been identified as a critical habitat for sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), giant oceanic manta rays (Manta birostris) and sea turtles (Cheloniidae), amongst other endangered, threatened and protected species. Other species that have been observed consistently in the strait include false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), and spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), both of them in huge pods made up of large numbers of individuals. The report of a 2013 survey of Tibar Bay, on Ombai Strait's southern shore not far west of Dili, East Timor, noted that a local dive tourism operator had made frequent sightings of dugong along the coast immediately east of the bay, and that there were also anecdotal reports of saltwater crocodiles in the bay. A short distance further east, at Tasitolu, dugongs are often observed, although detailed information regarding their habitat location, size, and characteristics in the area was not available. The other sea life at Tasitolu includes cephalopods, crustaceans, frogfish, harlequin ghost pipefish, small octopuses, rhinopias, sea horses, and soft coral crabs. Ombai Strait is also part of the Coral Triangle, which is recognised as a global centre of marine biodiversity. The coastal zones of East Timor have important areas of coral reef ecosystems, such as the ones at Tasitolu and in the Bay of Dili. At Tasitolu, the reefs west of Dili Rock are live, healthy and diverse, but those to the east of the rock have lower coverage and more reef rubble. At the Port of Dili inside the Bay of Dili, there are at least four different species of coral. The Dili area, on the southern edge of the strait, is a recognised nesting ground for sea turtles, of three different species: hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata; Critically Endangered (CR), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List), olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea; Vulnerable (VU)), and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas; Endangered (EN)). On