Point Denis is the best known seaside resort

Seaside resort

A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...

 in Gabon

Gabon

Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...

. It lies on a peninsula

Peninsula

A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....

 between the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

 and the Gabon Estuary

Gabon Estuary

The Gabon River or Gabon Estuary is a short wide estuary in the west of Gabon. The capital Libreville has a large port on the north bank of the estuary which collects water from the River Komo and River Ebe. The estuary empties into the Gulf of Guinea. The estuary is locally known as the Estuaire...

, across which boats sail to Libreville

Libreville

Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...

. It also lies near the Pongara National Park

Pongara National Park

Pongara National Park is a national park in Gabon near the capital Libreville along the Komo estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. It covers an area of 929 km². - External links :*...

.

Leatherback turtles

Point Denis is a major breeding ground for the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). Between 1 800 and 2 000 nests are laid annually on its beaches. Recent studies by Dr Sharon Deem, formerly of the Wildlife Conservation Society

Wildlife Conservation Society

The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...

, note that the worldwide turtle population is being threatened by man's activities. One such activity is the development of Point Denis. Turtles find their way to the sea by using the light from the moon shimmering off the water as a reference. Man-made artificial lights at night disorientate the female turtles during laying season as well as the hatchlings trying to find their way to the water. As a result many turtles head off in the wrong direction and can die from starvation and dehydration. Nests are also destroyed by visitors who drive vehicles, mainly quad bikes, on the beaches. Another problem is the pollution from the nearby town of Libreville

Libreville

Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...

. Turtles often mistake plastic bags in the water for jellyfish

Jellyfish

Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...

, their principal food source, and die if they ingest them. Nevertheless, there is a growing environmental movement in Gabon

Gabon

Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...

, protection of the turtles being one of their priorities.

Other species

Buffalo

African Buffalo

The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...

 are found in the area, as well as a diverse population of monkeys, birds, snakes and other reptiles. Humpback whales can be seen in the sea.