Nature in Maldives

The Maldives stretches across an island chain about 822 kilometres long. Its landscapes include shallow and deep lagoons, sandy beaches, tidal flats, subtidal sand beds, pelagic waters and seamounts. Coral reefs are the dominant ecosystem. Reef formation, sediment movement, monsoon winds, currents and tides continually shape the islands and their coastlines. A thila is a reef or shallow-water formation. Mangroves and wetlands help protect coasts, stabilize sediment, provide habitat and store carbon. Local terms include Kan'doo for Bruguiera cylindrica, Ran'doo for Rhizophora mucronata, Barugas for grey mangrove, Velaa kahanbu for marine turtles and Madi for rays or skates. The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA), the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, the Ministry of Tourism, the Maldives Marine Research Institute, Atoll and Island Councils and Biosphere Reserve Offices each have relevant responsibilities. Older documents may still use EPA for the environmental regulator and may use earlier ministry names. Environmental protection rests mainly on the Environment Protection and Preservation Act 4/93, the Protected Area Regulation 2018/R-78 and later amendments, species regulations and fisheries rules. The current protected-area portal lists 93 Protected Areas covering 66,178.03 hectares, three UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, six Managed Areas and two candidate Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs). Other official figures differ: a homepage lists 66,006.89 hectares and no candidate OECM, while a 2024 framework lists 91 national marine protected areas covering 54,315 hectares. These differences reflect versions, categories and reporting dates, so a decision should use the current site record and management documents. Protected areas can contain core, buffer, tourism, no-take or partially protected zones. Hanifaru in Baa Atoll protects a whale-shark and manta-ray hotspot. Eadhigali Kilhi and Koattey form Addu Nature Park with wetland, mangrove and marine habitats. Huraa Mangrove Area covers 5.32 hectares and is used for education, research and tourism. Access is not automatically free for every protected area or activity. Access, research, photography, videography, tour-guide and resource-gatherer permits are handled through the ERA protected-area portal. After approval, the permit is sent by email and the visit is booked with the area, activity, time slot and visitor count. Site plans can impose temporary closures or other conditions. Tourism, photography and video applications require at least 14 days of preparation, while research applications require at least 30 days. Fees vary by site, user category and activity rather than following one national nature fee. Recorded examples include MVR 5 per person for canoeing at Addu Nature Park, MVR 108 per tourist there and MVR 310 per person for Hanifaru visits from 1 May to 1 December 2026. Weather-related suspensions may apply, and fees may not be refundable. The Maldives records more than 280 reef-building coral species, more than 1,090 demersal and epipelagic fish species, about 40 shark species, five marine turtle species, about 20 whale and dolphin species and more than 167 bird species, including five reported endemics in the national framework. Key species include the whale shark, manta ray, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, humphead wrasse and giant grouper. The current Maldives Red List records the green turtle as Endangered. The Protected Species Regulation 2021/R-25 and amendments protect all marine turtles, whale sharks and rays or skates. The Maldives has also maintained a national shark sanctuary since 2010. An official report lists 103 protected bird species, so bird protection status should be checked against the current regulation rather than inferred from the total number of bird species. Fishing supports livelihoods, food security and income. The tuna management plan treats pole-and-line fishing as a leading practice. Purse seines, gillnets, trawling, explosives, poison, chemicals and spearguns are prohibited under the recorded fisheries rules. Longline fishing is prohibited within 100 nautical miles of the archipelagic baseline. Fishing is also prohibited within three nautical miles of a fish aggregation device, except for pole-and-line fishing. Protected-area and species rules can impose additional limits. Conflicts arise where fishing, tourism, infrastructure, coastal development or habitat protection overlap. Diving, snorkeling, wildlife watching, surfing and photography or videography are permitted only under the relevant tourism, protected-area and site rules. Wildlife encounters should follow the applicable local code of conduct, including codes used for whale-shark and manta interactions. National shark-interaction guidance is not yet recorded in the framework. Protected-area rules prohibit habitat damage, littering, introducing alien species, feeding wildlife and using night lighting to attract animals. A site plan may also prohibit speeds above five knots and require visitors to use mooring buoys. Research proposals should state the methodology, timeline, equipment, team, data plan and local stakeholders. Research teams may need additional ERA approval after protected-area review. Monthly progress reports, a final report, raw data, GIS files, photographs, publications and monitoring protocols can be required, together with a presentation for local stakeholders. Specimen collection requires a special permit. Destructive sampling, night operations without special permission, unauthorized drones and unauthorized equipment are prohibited. Citizen-science observations can be submitted through the protected-area portal, and monitoring data must be maintained within the applicable 24-day reporting requirement. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required under the 1993 environmental law before a project that may affect the environment. ERA conducts screening and compliance review. A project in or next to a protected area that may cause an impact can require extended assessment and consultation with local government, protected-area management, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy and other stakeholders. Monitoring and mitigation arrangements should be in place before construction. Inspections can lead to penalties, a project stop or compensation for environmental damage. Zoning can separate conflicting uses, protect core areas and permit sustainable activities under seasonal or temporary restrictions. The southwest monsoon is generally wet from mid-May to November, the northeast monsoon is generally drier from January to March, and April and December are transition months. Heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, rough seas, thunderstorms and tropical-cyclone effects can disrupt access. Tsunamis are another coastal hazard. Udha is a locally recurring storm or swell flood that can contaminate the freshwater lens and damage boats and crops. Longer-term pressures include sea-level rise, coastal erosion, rising sea-surface temperatures, ocean acidification, coral bleaching and habitat loss.