Types of Turtles in the Maldives – Spot them all!

The Maldives is surrounded by water; therefore, it is of no surprise that it's quite the aquatic paradise housing several marine animals. A vast majority of the tourists who visit the Maldives and stay at OBLU SELECT at Sangeli, known to be one of the best family resort in the Maldives, look forward to seeing these splendid animals in all their glory. There are numerous types of turtles found in the Maldives and some of them are the Hawksbill turtle, Green turtle, Loggerhead turtle, Olive Ridley turtle and Leatherback sea turtles. If you have the time, you can also pay a visit to the centre. If you visit during November, with a bit of luck you will be able to witness the newly hatched turtles making their way to the ocean!

The scientific term for these turtles are 'Eretmochelys Imbricata', and are found in the tropical regions of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Apart from these regions, Hawksbill turtles have a predominant presence in the Caribbean Sea and the West Atlantic Ocean and tend to nest on small and scattered beaches. When you're around the reefs of the Maldives, you're likely to spot Hawksbill turtles quite easily as they are the most commonly seen turtles. You'll be able to spot these turtles easily by their beautifully coloured shell and their small head with a distinctive hawk-like beak, which is where it gets its name from! Hawksbill turtles are carnivores by nature but feed on algae, seagrass, fish, sponges and barnacles.

Known as loggerheads or Caretta Caretta, these turtles have overly large heads and a pointed beak. The shells in this species of turtles range from yellow to brown and are known to be the largest hard-shelled turtles in the world. These sea turtles are found in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, with sightings along the Mediterranean sea as well. The lifespan of these turtles range from 47 to 67 years and possess powerful jaws in order to consume bottom-dwelling invertebrates, namely, jellyfish, sponges and shellfish.

Also known as Pacific Green turtles or black sea turtles, these turtles are one of the only known herbivores among the different turtle species to exist. You can find these fascinating creatures in tropical and subtropical areas. With the ability to grow up to 100 cm long, the green sea turtle prefers to lounge in shallow lagoons, while feeding off different types of seagrass.

Largest among the turtles, leatherback sea turtles are named for their hard, leather-like shell. These turtles migrate quite a lot, crossing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. You'll know it's a leatherback sea turtle by the five ridges it has running across the length of its shell.