Species
This shelled creature moves sideways and has pincers
Crab
This colorful reef-building organism is actually a living animal.
Coral
What do you call a group of fish?
A school
This type of formation, a ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon, is the basic geography of the Maldives.
Atoll
This tasty fish, often dried and used in Maldivian cuisine, is a staple food source.
Tuna
This long, flat fish buries itself in the sand and has eyes on one side of its body.
Flounder
This large area of the ocean where plastic waste accumulates is located in the North Pacific.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
This marine mammal uses echolocation and is known for its intelligence and playful behavior.
Dolphin
This ocean that surrounds the Maldives is the third-largest in the world.
The Indian Ocean
This gentle giant, a filter-feeding shark often spotted near Maldivian reefs, is the largest fish in the world.
Whale shark
This animal, the largest of the great whales after the blue whale, is known for its haunting songs.
Humpback whale
What is the world’s second largest ocean basin?
Atlantic Ocean
This gas, absorbed by oceans, contributes to coral bleaching when levels rise.
Carbon dioxide
This famous reef, the largest living structure on Earth, is located off Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef
This strong seasonal wind pattern affects the Maldives' weather and diving conditions, with two main seasons it creates.
Monsoon
This marine reptile can hold its breath for hours and returns to the same beach to lay eggs.
Sea turtle
This term describes the deep channels between atolls where strong currents attract larger marine species.
(Kandu / channel)
This term describes a periodic warming of the central Pacific Ocean that affects global weather.
El Niño
This deepest known point in Earth's oceans is located in the Pacific.
The Mariana Trench
This stress response in coral, caused by warming waters, has affected reefs around the Maldives.
Coral bleaching
This bioluminescent phenomenon, sometimes seen glowing on Maldivian beaches at night, is caused by tiny marine organisms.
Bioluminescent plankton
This zone of the ocean, below 1,000 meters, receives no sunlight and is home to creatures like the anglerfish.
The midnight zone
This international agreement on climate change is especially significant to the Maldives due to its vulnerability to rising seas.
The Paris Agreement
This vast underwater mountain range runs through the Atlantic Ocean and marks a tectonic plate boundary.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge
This biosphere reserve designation, awarded by UNESCO, has been given to one of the Maldives' atolls in recognition of its marine biodiversity.
Baa Atoll, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve