Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas

Little Cayman is the smallest (~ 26 sq km) and least developed of the 3 Cayman Islands. Its 45 km of shoreline is made alternately of bluff limestone and ironshore, the latter of which is differentiated into reef, back-reef, lagoonal, shoal, and beach-ridge facies. Its true magic lies off this shoreline, in sea-grass lagoons, barrier reefs, patch reefs, and above all, the plunging sheer coral walls of the mountain under the sea.  Within a few hundred metres from shore, the mountain drops down to depths of 1000m – 2000m. The granodiorite shelf holds exuberant coral reefs leading to, and following down, the sheer wall. This protected and still pristine geology harbours a rich and rare marine ecosystem that by most measures is beyond comparison to similar reefs in the Caribbean basin. Little Cayman’s environment, with its Cayman Islands Government National Conservation Law designated marine park and protected areas, is a Mission Blue Hope Spot and is recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The country is recognized by the Pew Charitable Trust as one of only 17 ‘shark sanctuary’ countries in the world.

The combination of pristine water, unique geology, high coral cover, diverse marine species, cultural awareness and low human impact is why Little Cayman carries phenomenal Outstanding Universal Value.

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