the coastal beaches and oceanic island of the coastal zone are also popular with another resident of the region, the turtle, who rely on these areas for shelter, food, and for their growing period. in fact, these areas are so well suited to the turtle, that of the seven species of turtles existing in the world, the coastal zone is home to five of them, which include the loggerhead turtle (caretta caretta), the green sea turtle (chelonia mydas), the leatherback turtle (dermochelys coriacea), the hawksbill turtle (eretmochelys imbricata) and the olive ridley (lepidochelys oliva-cea).

the waters are also popular with sirenias, with two of only four global species occurring in the zone, and with pinnipeds, of which seven species can be found in the waters. included in these are the west indian manatee (trichechus manatus), which is the most endangered aquatic mammal in brazil, and the south american sea lion (otaria flavescens).