Exotic Wildlife in the Maldives - Get up close and personal with wondrous tropical fauna

It may not come as a surprise to learn that the Maldives has hardly any land-based mammals as the country is pretty much sea. Out of the handful of mammals that inhabit the archipelagic nation, fruit bat, Indian flying fox, and garden shrew are some of the common species that you are likely to spot during your time in the Maldives. Although domestic animals aren't necessarily considered wildlife, mammals such as cats, rats, and mice can be seen throughout inhabited islands. As a Muslim nation, you won't be able to see a sight of a dog, except for the police canines, as domestic dogs are prohibited in the country by law.

The island nation's distinctive positioning amidst the vast Indian Ocean attracts droves of pelagic birds throughout the year. In fact, the majority of avifauna is made up of pelagic and other migratory birds. Over 100 species of birds are believed to be residing across the 26 atolls of the archipelago. Frigate birds, white terns, grey heron, plovers, sandpipers, godwits, stints, white-breasted waterhens, swallows, shrikes and gulls are some of the common species of birdlife that dominate the skies of the Maldives.

The surrounding turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean are home to more than 2,000 species of fish, from the small bannerfish, oriental sweetlips, Indian snappers to large manta rays, dolphins and whale sharks. These colourful and vivid fishes are a precious natural resource of the nation that draw hordes of snorkelers and divers to the country from all over the world. If you are staying at one of the beachside luxury villas in Maldives the likes of Atmosphere Kanifushi, your chances of spotting these majestic creatures of the sea are much higher.

Just like the mammals, the reptiles in the Maldives are also only a handful. The common garden lizard, also known as the bloodsucker, is an everyday creature on almost every island while a few other species of lizards and geckos can also be seen at random. If you are one with a deep-seated fear of snakes, put your mind at ease as the Maldives has got only a few species of snakes and almost all of them are non-venomous, including the widely seen Indian wolf snake. Speaking of reptiles in the Maldives, one can't simply forget the brown-toned shelly creatures of the sea, the turtles. The turquoise blue waters surrounding the Maldives are home to a few different species of turtles and are a common sight when snorkelling and diving.

If you think you hardly saw any mammals in the Maldives, your chances of spotting an amphibian are almost none. Since the country has nothing more than a few species of frogs and toads, you will most likely not see any amphibians on your trip.