Snorkelling and Diving with Sea Turtles
Everyone loves to spot a turtle when they are scuba diving or snorkelling, and here at Hurawalhi Maldives we are lucky to have a relatively large and stable population of them. The turtles have a vast natural habitat of healthy reefs, endless sandy beaches on which to nest, and they enjoy full protection from poaching and exploitation. One of the planet’s longest surviving creatures, turtles have been around for over 120 million years, but all seven species are now endangered.
Turtle species you can expect to see when snorkelling or diving during a holiday at Hurawalhi:
Green sea turtle
Named for the green colour of the fat under its shell. They seek fish-cleaning stations or rub themselves against coral to remove overgrowth on shell and skin. Max length: 120 cm; max weight: 230 kg. Conservation status: Endangered.
Hawksbill sea turtle
Gets its name from its sharp, hawk-like beak. ‘Dirty’ appearance, with shell, neck and extremities often overgrown by algae which gives the turtle camouflage against the reef). Max length: 90-110 cm, max weight: 80 kg. Conservation status: Critically endangered.
Help protect our turtles
- During your encounters with sea turtles, never touch or chase them, it’s prohibited and causes an immense amount of stress to them. Observe the turtle from a respectful distance, ideally at the turtle’s side so it doesn’t get scared away.
- Adopt and name a turtle with Olive Ridley Project, see the latest turtles available for naming and adopt them here. Your donation will help us continue our sea turtle conservation work in the Indian Ocean and our research of the sea turtle population in the Maldives. This research will, in turn, help us develop and evaluate conservation strategies aimed at saving sea turtles threatened by extinction.
