Along the coastal part there is a series of lagoons, and off shore Bijol islands which are important sites for breeding marine turtles and for roosting birds.

Species seen regularly on the reserve's lagoons include Black-headed heron, white-fronted plover, Caspian tern, spur-winged plover, sanderling, Western reef heron, royal tern and lesser black-backed gull.

While the Bijol Islands are an important feeding and roosting area for substantial numbers of shorebirds, seabirds, ospreys, and other birds,[1] including Gambia's only breeding seabirds, including colonies of grey-headed gulls, slender-billed gulls, royal terns, Caspian terns, long-tailed cormorants and Western reef herons.

A 2019 survey discovered 31 species of termites, including 19 known nowhere else in Gambia and suggesting a need for redefinition of certain groups.

However, residents also near-universally expressed support for being involved in the management of the reserve in a study conducted by researchers from Dalhousie University in 2001.