The Maldives is a vacation paradise for many travelers. But also, for marine biologists, it is a dream to work on the Maldives. There is hardly any other country on earth that boasts such a great diversity of coral reefs. The reef colonies and the abundance of fish make the Island nation fascinating to marine biologists. The corals are home to numerous species of fish, such as the snapper fish and the trigger fish, but also to giant rays and the very rare whale sharks. The seabed is colonized by sea cucumbers, feeding on plankton and algae debris. Known as vacuum cleaners of the sea, as they filter the silt of the ocean floor in their search for food. 

Sustainable Tourism as a guarantee for the survival of the coral reefs 

The survival of the corals is vital for the Maldives, so sustainability and the preservation of biodiversity are officially promoted. Marine biologists in the atolls are important for monitoring and protecting the ecosystems. 

Did you know?

1. The island state is made up of over 1196 coral islands lined up like a string of pearls over 26 atolls, covering an area of 90,000 square kilometers.  Only 220 of these are inhabited, while 144 are used for tourism. 
2. More than 2000 species of fish and over 200 species of corals and 190 different bird species have been spotted in the Maldives so far. 
3. The Maldives consists of 99% water. In  a north-south direction the islands, some of them tiny, spread over a distance of 850 kilometers. 
4. The Maldives are home to the world’s largest population of reef manta rays. The Manta Trust estimates that approximately 5000 manta rays live in the waters around the Maldives, 3000 have already been identified. 

The marine biologists working at our Green Pearls® partner, Gili Lankanfushi, have a much better understanding of this. Hayley Hardstaff and Jocelyn Panjikaran have been monitoring the tropical nature around the resort for two years, looking after the reforestation of the coral reefs and also cooperating with other organizations in the Maldives. 

What makes working at the Gili Lankanfushi special?

Jocelyn: The calming natural beauty of Gili Lankanfushi is captivating. We are surrounded by diverse marine ecosystems. Gili Lankanfushi’s commitment towards Sustainability and Marine Conservation enable us to thrive here. It’s very exciting to work with like-minded colleagues whose focus aligns towards sustainability.

Hayley: There are many fantastic things about working at Gili Lankanfushi. From a marine biology perspective, we are incredibly privileged in that there are multiple marine ecosystems to experience right here on the island from the sandy lagoon system, seagrass meadows to the different coral systems of our outer house reef and inner lagoon by the spa. This means that we can be a considerable diversity of fish and other marine species, often seeing new species every time we go snorkeling. Gili Lankanfushi has also historically been a pioneer among Maldivian resorts in its marine conservation initiatives. We were the first to adopt the coral lines method of propagating corals, and we were also one of the first resorts to pledge to stop removing the seagrass from our lagoon, allowing it to flourish. Thus, we have been provided with a great foundation to continue our conservation projects, with an extensive backlog of data to help direct the future of our initiatives.

As well as the ecosystems here on our doorstop, we are lucky enough to have access to a variety of boat excursions operated by the resort. This means that we get opportunities to experience the marine life of reefs on other islands and even atolls. For example, Gili Lankanfushi offers guests a whale sharks excursion to South Ari Atoll. When we join such trips, we can gather valuable data on the marine megafauna we see, which we can share with local Maldivian organizations and networks such as the Maldivian Whale shark Research Project and Olive Ridley Project. Being connected to these projects allows us to contribute to a giant dataset, providing valuable information on the movements and behaviors of marine animals of interest so that we may better protect them from anthropogenic and climate related threats.

What makes this place so special to you ?

Besides the fantastic opportunities to do meaningful marine biology projects and collect valuable data, there are also many characteristics of Gili Lankanfushi to make it a fantastic place to live in while working. The climate is always temperate, the views are beautiful, and we get to experience the perks, privacy, and peace of remote island life while being only 20 minutes from Male so that we don’t feel too disconnected from the outside world (but we can if we’d like to!)

Finally, the people who work on the island are all incredibly friendly. There’s a great variety of staff who bring with them different cultures, expertise and wisdom, which we also get to benefit from. 

Which changes could you observe in maritime life in the last few years?

Jocelyn:This is my first time to the Maldives, I’m taken aback by the beauty and diversity around us. Each time we go snorkeling or diving, there is always something new we see.

Hayley:In 2016, there was an El Niño event, where the water temperatures of the Pacific rose for a prolonged period of time. This El Niño lasted longer than normal and came with higher temperatures due to climate change. A huge amount of coral bleaching occurred during this period, and it’s estimated that the Maldives lost 60 to 80% of its corals during this event. Thus, we have several guests who visit us now, who had visited in the past, who say that there are sadly far fewer corals now than there were then. However, we still have a fantastic abundance of fish. Furthermore, our coral lines project has grown over the last 8 years. The corals that the previous marine biologists have successfully propagated have been transplanted to a rock bommie  (Bombora is an indigenous Australian term indicating an area with high waves breaking over a shallow area, such as a submerged rocky outcrop, reef, or sandbar some distance from the shoreline and surf. Colloquially, it is called a bommie). in the lagoon, which is now flourishing with corals, fish life and a resident turtle!

What can everybody do to protect the sea and environment?

Jocelyn:Plastic pollution is one of the major treats to these beautiful marine systems. A basic step would be to stop using single use plastic

Hayley: Being aware of your consumption and waste is a considerable part of protecting the ocean. Not only must we be careful to segregate and recycle our different types of litter but most importantly reduce the amount of litter we produce in the first place. This stems from being careful on what types of products we buy and how much we buy. For example, growing our own fruit and veg in the garden can help reduce the packaging involved in buying such products from the supermarket. We can also all do litter picks, on the beach or inland where waste can make its way to rivers, and then eventually the sea. Taking actions like these will reduce the amount of plastic and toxic chemical waste that ends up in the ocean.

Also acting to reduce climate change, such as reducing electric, fuel and red meat consumption, will help to reduce ocean acidification and warming, to help our ocean ecosystems remain as stable as possible.

On a more local scale, we can protect the sea by behaving responsibly when doing activities in or on it. From wearing reef-safe sun cream, to avoiding anchoring boats in seagrass meadows or standing on corals.

What was the most impressive experience you had in (or around) the resort?

Jocelyn: I have not been here long, but recently, I got a chance to snorkel with Manta Rays, a 20-min boat ride away from the resort. It was truly magical to swim up close with these gentle giants.

Hayley: There are almost too many to pick just one. Seeing a mobula ray glide past the house reef through blooms of flashing plankton or watching a hawks bill turtle munching enthusiastically on a sea anemone are great ones! Also, at a nearby surf break, we were surrounded by huge mantas gliding through the surf!

Have you ever been to the Maldives? What experiences have you had?

 

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