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Marine Life of Fuvahmulah

Because of the geographic location and the topography, the island is home to a great variety of shark and pelagic species. The island towers up from the deep ocean much like a vertical cliff, consequently attracting a huge diversity of sharks and other pelagic life that utilize the surrounding reef for cleaning, feeding and mating. This makes diving great all year round making each dive exciting and adventurous.

With every dive, divers have an opportunity to encounter plentiful varieties of massive pelagic fish such as Giant Trevallies, Snappers, Great Barracudas, Skipjack and Dogtooth Tunas, and a whole host of spectacular reef fish that come with a healthy and thriving coral reef.

There is always potential to observe sharks and maybe even some rare species.
The most frequently observed species include, Tiger Sharks, Thresher sharks, Hammerheads, Whale sharks, Grey reef, Silver tip and White tip reef sharks along with a myriad of pelagic fish and countless colorful reef fish throughout the rich coral reefs.

Some less frequent but not uncommon encounters include Scalloped , Mola Mola, Oceanic Mantas, Oceanic white tip sharks, spinner and silky sharks.

common fishes in fuvahmulah
Tiger Shark Dive | Fuvahmulah

Interesting facts about Tiger shark

  • COMMON NAME: Tiger Shark
  • SCIENTIFIC NAME: Galeocerdo cuvier
  • GROUP NAME: School, shoal
  • SIZE: grow up to 14 feet (5 meter)
  • LIFESPAN: Up to 50 years
  • WEIGHT: 385 to 900 kg (800 to 2,000 pounds)
  • TOP SPEED: 35 Mph (56 kilometres )
  • DIET: Crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, sea snakes, dolphins, small sharks
  • COLOR: Skin color ranges from dark blue to light green, with an overall grey hue. The body has dark vertical bars or spots on the flanks with a pale or white underside
  • HABITAT: Tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate salt water. It inhabits deep oceans as well as shallow coastal waters. Tiger Shark can be observed all year around in Fuvahmulah Maldives
  • LOCATION: Tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate salt water. It inhabits deep oceans as well as shallow coastal waters. Tiger Sharks can be observed all year around in Fuvahmulah Maldives
Thresher Shark dive Fuvahmulah

Interesting facts about Thresher Shark

  • COMMON NAME: Thresher Shark
  • SCIENTIFIC NAME: Alopias
  • GROUP NAME: Alopiidae; Bonaparte
  • SIZE: grow up to to 20 feet (6 meter)
  • LIFESPAN: Up to 20 years
  • WEIGHT:  500 kg ( 1,100 pounds)
  • TOP SPEED: 30 Mph (48 kilometres )
  • DIET: small pelagic fish including anchovies, sardines, hake, mackerel, and squid
  • COLOR: Skin color brown, gray, blue-gray, or blackish on the back and underside of their snout. They are lighter on the sides, and fully white below. Their pectoral, pelvic, and dorsal fins are blackish, and there are sometimes white dots on the tips of the pectoral, pelvic, and tail fins
  • HABITAT: coastal and oceanic waters. It is most commonly observed far from shore, although it wanders close to the coast in search of food. Adults are common over the continental shelf, while juveniles reside in coastal bays and near shore waters
  • LOCATION: Tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate salt water. It inhabits deep oceans as well as shallow coastal waters. Thresher Sharks can be observed all year around in Fuvahmulah Maldives
Hammerhead Shark Dive Fuvahmulah

Interesting facts about Hammerhead Shark

  • COMMON NAME: Hammerhead Shark
  • SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sphyrnidae
  • GROUP NAME: School, shoal
  • SIZE: grow up to to 20 feet (6 meter)
  • LIFESPAN: Up to 20 -30 years
  • WEIGHT:  450 kg ( 991 pounds)
  • TOP SPEED: 20 Mph (32 kilometres )
  • DIET: stingrays, other rays and skates.May also consume other sharks, including other hammerhead sharks, bony fish, including groupers and sea catfish, squid and bottom dwelling crustaceans. Commonly feeds by pinning prey down with hammer and biting pieces off
  • COLOR: gray-brown to olive-green on top with off-white undersides
  • HABITAT: hammerheads are coastal-pelagic, semi-oceanic sharks, found close inshore and well offshore, over the continental shelves, island terraces, and in passes and lagoons
  • LOCATION: Tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate salt water. It inhabits deep oceans as well as shallow coastal waters. Hammerhead Shark can be observed all year around in Fuvahmulah Maldives