Most countries have a certain kind of local wildlife that they are proud of, from the big game that roam Africa’s national parks to the majestic Bengal tigers in India; the Maldives archipelagos is no different, except here, you won’t need a 4×4 vehicle to admire the local wildlife as most of its located under the clear turquoise waters that the Maldives is famous for.
The waters surrounding the atolls have a worldwide reputation for spectacular diving that entices hordes of visitors to the country every year, and with good reason. There’s an enormous diversity of sea life, a vast formation of colourful coral reefs and over 2,000 species of tropical fish found in the waters surrounding the famed Resort Maldives islands.
The area is home to several indigenous varieties of mantra rays, sting rays and eagle rays, as well as many kinds of sea anemones and jellyfish. Most of the leading resorts located here, like the Kuramathi Island Resort Maldives include special diving and snorkelling excursions for guests to get up close the marine life and appreciate the beauty of these sea creatures.
It’s not uncommon to see schools of whales, dolphins and even the elusively timid whale shark, passing by or sea turtles like the green turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the leatherback turtle. Indigenous land mammals and reptiles are rare here and the most common birds in the Maldives are ocean birds.
Wherever you go, there’s always something or some creature that will captive your attention, whether it’s a school of fish in the shallows waters near the shore or whales in the deep blue seas further from the islands. Whatever it may be, one thing is for sure; the crystal clear water and beautiful coral, brightly illuminated by the tropical sunshine is truly an underwater paradise that is not to be missed.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
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