Coral Bay is an important feeding area for one shark and one ray species.

Biologging tags were used to understand the three-dimensional fine-scale movement ecology of Tiger Sharks in this area (Andrzejaczek et al. 2019). Tags were deployed on 21 adult Tiger Sharks (265–380 cm total length; TL) in April–May 2017 for durations of 5–48 h. Size-at-maturity is 226–305 cm TL for males and 250–350 cm TL for females (Ebert et al. 2021). Tags recorded both physical parameters such as depth and temperature, and, through the use of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and compasses, in situ measurements of animal trajectory and locomotion. Animal-borne-video enabled the recording of interactions with prey, specifically sea turtles (e.g., Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta).  Sharks displayed tortuous movements (twists and turns) associated with prey searching for 27% of their tracks, and interactions with prey elicited varied responses including highly tortuous paths and burst movements. The cameras recorded 18 interactions with sea turtles, during which Tiger Sharks exhibited tortuous, circling movements and short bursts of acceleration near the turtles. These encounters likely represent prey investigations or exploratory hunting attempts. Several investigations of prey were immediately preceded by burst, stalking, and/or turning behaviours. Sea turtles are important grazers that occur in significant numbers at Ningaloo Reef (Preen et al. 1997). Research has revealed that Tiger Sharks continuously oscillate through the water column, presumably to search for benthic prey on descent, and silhouetted air-breathing prey on ascent (Heithaus et al. 2002a; Nakamura et al. 2011). Sandflats may be preferred habitats for foraging by Tiger Sharks because prey here have less room to perform evasive manoeuvres and to escape (Heithaus et al. 2002b), increasing the efficiency of hunting. This is corroborated by reports from local ecotourism operators at Coral Bay who frequently observe Tiger Sharks hunting sea turtles in this area (Andrzejaczek et al. 2019). Tiger Sharks are also commonly observed by passive citizen scientists feeding on sea turtles in this area.

In June 2007, August 2008, and May–June 2010, eight Tiger Sharks (185–399 cm TL) were satellite-tagged off the northwest coast of Australia (Ferreira et al. 2015). One shark’s movements were restricted to a relatively small space within this area and its surroundings for six months, showing long-term residency. Another two sharks, transmitting for 7 and 14 days, respectively, stayed within or near this area. It is hypothesized that these sharks were also using this area as a feeding ground.

Reef Manta Rays have regularly and predictably used this area for feeding, attracting tourists since the early 1990s. Their reliable presence has led to a steady growth in manta tour operations, which can now accommodate over 130 passengers per day to swim with these rays (Venables et al. 2016). Ventral photographs of Reef Manta Rays sighted in this area have been catalogued since 2006 in a photo-identification image database along with metadata such as date and location of sighting (McGregor et al. 2019; Armstrong et al. 2020). Photos were collected primarily by tourism operators who run in-water megafauna interaction tours year-round (2002–2018). As of 2015, long-term photo-identification studies have identified 800 individuals (Venables et al. 2016; Armstrong et al. 2020; F McGregor unpubl. data 2015). The behaviour displayed by each individual when sighted was categorised (Germanov et al. 2019) and was informed by ancillary observations reported by tourism operators or trained observers, or through indications of behaviour evident in photographs. A total of 4,382 behavioural observations of Reef Manta Rays were recorded in this area (Armstrong et al. 2020). Feeding was the most common reported behaviour with 56.2% of observations. Between March–May, large feeding aggregations of up to 70 individuals were recorded (McGregor et al. 2019). The core resident population consists of 40–50 individuals, mostly mature females (McGregor et al. 2019).