Marine Life in Maldives
Marine Life in Maldives
Marine Life in Maldives :The Maldives is an archipelago or archipelagic nation located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is one of the most beautiful nations in the world known as the flattest country in the world comprising of about 1,192 islands scattered across 26 pristine and unique atolls.
The Maldives lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India about 750 kilometers from the Asian Continent’s mainland
The marine life in the Maldives is like no other place in the world, the beautiful waters of the Maldives Islands boast a blossoming, colorful marine life. In Maldives Islands you will find the fascinating species of marine life all around the atolls such as
- Lhaviyani atoll which is known for its abundance of green sea turtles
- Ari Atoll known for its fascinating whale sharks
- Rasdhoo known for the hammerheads
- Baa Atoll famous for the famous Manta Ray hotspot
Maldives’ variety and diversity of marine life makes it a truly remarkable and paradise for snorkeling and diving experiences on which you will explore the coral reefs and spot millions of marine species
Here is a little guide to the fascinating marine life of the Maldives.
Whale Sharks
The Whale Sharks are abundant in the Maldives, whale sharks are also known as the largest fish in the sea. They are gentle giants thus providing an unforgettable snorkeling experience in the Maldives.
Whale sharks are docile, slow – moving, plankon feeding sharks and despite of their large mouths, they pose no risk to humans with their diet of tiny micro-organisms.
The largest confirmed whale sharks in the Maldives had a length of 18.8 meters.
Manta Rays
Manta Rays are in abundant in the Maldives and they can bee spotted all year round, Mantas migrate seasonally within The Maldives following the movement of plankton and are often spotted in all atolls.
Mantas are magical, majestic animals that are seen elegantly gliding and dancing in the ocean. Just like whale sharks, they feed on plankton and boat no risk to humans.
The best place to see the Manta Rays in the Maldives is Baa Atoll and the best time is from June to November, in this period the plankton is funnelled into the atoll attracting hundreds of manta rays and whale sharks every year.
Turtles
Turtles are abundant in the Maldives with five of the seven sea turtle species, the two most common turtle species in The Maldives are the Hawksbill turtle and the Green Turtle that are often sighted living on the reef.
The best place spot turtles in the Maldives archipelago is on Lhaviyani Atoll where almost half of all the identified green sea turtles in the Maldives are found.
Sharks
The Maldives Islands are home to 26 types of sharks, however there is no record of shark attacks in the archipelago. The most common sharks in the Maldives are Black – Tip, White – Tip Reef Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and the Whale Shark.
Other species to lookout for include hammerheads and tiger sharks found in the specific areas of the Maldives.
Fish
The Maldives archipelago hosts an amazing diversity of sea life with over 200 species of fish, some of the most common fish species in the Maldives include guitarfish, oriental sweetlips, triggerfish, porcupine fish, lion fish, yellowfin tuna, grouper, barracuda, snapper, batfish and butterfly fish among others.
Dolphins
The waters of the Maldives are home to around 20 different species of dolphin including Spinner, Bottlenose, Risso’s, spotted and striped Dolphins. The most common dolphins seen in the Maldives are he spinner dolphins which are fun and curious, they are often spotted at sunset and sometimes leap into the air putting on a show as they show themselves off.
Moray Eels
Moray eels are interesting sea creatures commonly found in the Maldives, while diving you are advised not to approach them as their teeth are sharp and they might attack if you pose a threat to them by getting too close.
The Moray Eels live inside corals and often keep their heads out looking for something to eat.
Note: When snorkeling or diving, keep an eye out for them and maintain a safe distance.
Octopus
The Octopus are some of the amazing marine life you will spot in The Maldives while diving though you need luck, to spot the octopus you have to look hard as they are often camouflaged. Octopus founded in The Maldives normally measures around 60 centimeters in length and can change colors depending on its mood and situation.
Octopus usually move around at night to hunt for food.
Arthropods
Arthropods in The Maldives includes lobsters and crabs that are commonly spotted, in the waters of Maldives there are four species of lobsters and many different species of crabs. Some of the crab lives waters and many live on the beach in holes in the sand just like the ghost crab.
The Maldives are a great destination for diving and scuba diving partly because of the great marine wildlife thriving in the warm waters of Indian Ocean.
