waters in the vicinity generally maintain a temperature of about . The archipelago faces frequent catastrophic threats of cyclonic storms. Environment Les Saintes extend only over but are characterised by a long coast, enriched by those of four small uninhabited islands. The coast of these islands does not have real cliffs, but their rocky shores are covered with corals. The sandy shores are more-or-less colonised by marine spermatophyte plants. In 2008, the inventory of the natural zones of ecological interest, fauna and flora (ZNIEFF) listed zones covering 381 hectares. Fauna Land There are numerous ground iguanas, including the green iguana which is the heraldic symbol of Terre-de-Haut, and the Iguana delicatissima, which is threatened by the appearance of a hybrid stemming from the reproduction between the two species. Other reptiles include the Terre-de-Haut racer, Terre-de-Bas racer, the endemic Les Saintes anole, and a lot of species of anoles. There are also agoutis, goats, and stick insects. Birds include the bananaquit, yellow-headed blackbird, dickcissel, blue-headed hummingbird, green-throated carib; purple-throated carib, and blue-tailed emerald. Ardeidaes rest in salty ponds (snowy egret, green heron, western cattle egret, yellow-crowned night heron, tricolored heron, etc.) and living with the aquatic turtles, the common moorhen, the blue land crab, the blackback land crab, the sand fiddler crab and other species of crabs. The common kestrel is visible and audible during rides into the dry forest, like the zenaida dove, an endemic species of West Indies protected inside the archipelago. Frogs include the Eleutherodactylus pinchoni, among others. Tree bats feed on papayas and other fruits and berries. Marine The archipelago shelters a variety of: Coral fishes (parrotfish, Cephalopholis, trumpetfish, mero, Epinephelus adscensionis, cardinalfish, damselfish, sergeant major fish, queen triggerfish, sunfish, scrawled cowfish, schoolmaster snapper, groupers, moray eels, conger, green moray, black scorpionfish (venomous), red snapper, balloonfishes, Atlantic blue tang surgeonfish, etc.); Pelagic fishes Royal spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) and Brazilian lobsters (Panulirus guttatus) Crustaceans (spiny spider crabs, edible crab, shrimp, slipper lobster, etc.) Molluscs (bobtail squid, squid, octopuses) Shells (Strombus gigas renowned for their flesh, helmet shell, clam, whelks, etc.) Sea anemone, seahorse, seaweeds, sea urchin white and black, polyps and other species of cnidarians (jellyfish) Corals (diploria, fire corals, etc.) from Caribbean islands, which are prevalent during dives around the archipelago Sharks and rays It is not rare to observe in Les Saintes Passage cetaceans: humpback whales, sperm whales, killer whales, and dolphins, which during their