Dubai, UAE – The beautiful creatures that inhabit the surroundings of Constance Halaveli Maldives island make this charming, pristine land a destination for fascinating discoveries. Curious travellers can learn about tropical wildlife in the Indian ocean, whether it’s the distinctive breeds of birds or various exotic land creatures and the vast marine life.
A few breeds of rare birds live on this tiny private island, nesting in many areas at the resort. The Brown Noddy is a beautiful dark brown bird that appears during daylight, flying over the ocean searching for small fish and shoals of squid, guiding fishers to where the fish can be found. While the Indian House Crow is the most common bird in the Maldives, known for being clever and mischievous; with their long, strong beaks, they can eat anything from meat to fish and fruit, and their loud vocals can be heard for miles around. One interesting fact about this bird is that both males and females look the same and can’t be differentiated.
Also, the Black-naped Tern spends most of their day by the sea; but they roost in quiet hidden parts of the beach. Even though they are shy birds, they are skilled hunters; watching them fly low over the water’s surface, dipping their beaks to catch fish is fantastic. Finally, the White-Breasted Waterhen are timid birds with slender bodies; they hide deep in the undergrowth for protection and are most active during the early morning and late afternoon.
At the same time, many of the small island residents live amongst the foliage or on the sandy paths. The vast amount of life below the eye line is surprising, such as Ghost Crab. These tiny creatures were named for their pale colouring that camouflages into the neutral sand. They can travel up to 10mph and hide in caves during the day to shield themselves from the hot sun. An amazing fact about these creatures is that their vision is outstanding, and they can see 360 degrees, an excellent characteristic that helps them thrive in the wildlife.
Whereas Indian Fruit Bats are considered one of the giant bats globally, with an incredible wingspan of 1.5m, they spend the day hanging out in large groups, and when dusk approaches, they leave their roost searching for food amongst the wildlife. Incredibly, they travel on average 65km every night. Then there’s the Variable Lizard Almond belonging to the dragon lizards’ group due to its shape and structure. Their long, elegant tails are crucial for their balance as they scurry to trees for refuge, especially coconut palms.
Likewise, mesmerising marine life includes many rare creatures, such as the beautiful Whiptail Ray, with its exceptionally long whip tail that is more than twice the length of its body and is one of the Indian ocean treasures. Those lovely beings find their food by detecting the weak electric currents emitted by all animals and feed on crabs and worms that live under the sand.
On the other hand, Black Tip Reef sharks are some of the most common sharks in the Maldives. They are often found patrolling the shallow waters looking for fish shoals while their fin sticks up over the water. When these sharks are in an attacking mood, they dash into the midst of the fish, causing a frenzy that lasts seconds. There’s also the Giant Jack fish, this large fish grows to a maximum known size of 170 cm and a weight of 80 kg; surprisingly, they are speedy swimmers, thanks to their sleek and streamlined shape and can swim up to 45mph. Undoubtedly their specifically designed eyes give them a panoramic view of their surroundings and sharp, clear vision.