The Little Green Book - Six Senses Resorts & Spas

Contents
Six Senses Sustainability Policy
Soneva Gili and Environment
How can you help?
Sustainable Experiences
Maldivian Marine Life
Conservation of Marine Life
Fauna of Maldives
Flora of Maldives
The Little Green Book
Soneva Gili by Six Senses

Six Senses Sustainability Policy
Six Senses Resorts and Spas places the environment high on its agenda. Our social and environmental
sustainability policy is developed in line with Six Senses’s core purpose.
“to create innovative and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment”.
Six Senses policy are committed to sustainable environment through the mission exclusively devoted to
protecting nature and the environment as well as the effort to reducing the environmental and social impact of
our activities. To achieve the mission, we have set aside the objectives that:
• Meet, wherever possible improving upon the local legislative environmental requirements and to set our own
group wide minimum standards
• Reduce resource consumption and waste generation through responsible waste reducing purchasing polices,
reuse, recycling and composting programmes
• Systematic management of energy use and consumption and to seek renewable energy sources
• Effective management of water resources
• Promote awareness of sustainability amongst hosts, guest, local communities and suppliers / business
partners through training programmes, regular environmental awareness events and engaging business
partners
• Contribution up to 0.5% of revenues to projects which benefit both the local and global community and
environment
• Address the issue of climate change through both energy management as part of it’s’ resource management
policies and avoidance of fugitive emissions of CFCs
• Regular monitor our environmental impact developing action plans through regular environmental meetings
and monitoring of Key Sustainability Indicators
• Prevent any escape of hazardous substances into the environment and to phase out environmentally
damaging products as soon as benign alternatives are practicable
• Purchase local, environmentally friendly, socially responsible products especially organic and fair trade
products
• Strictly avoid the use of animal products derived using unnecessarily cruel or environmentally destructive
production methods or those derived from any endangered species
• Engage local communities and actively employ local staff and service providers wherever practicable
• Integrate social and environmental concerns into planning and decision making processes
• Continually review and improve Six Senses Holistic Environmental Management Programme
Two programmes are set up to implement our corporate sustainability policy responsible to social and
environment.

Holistic Environmental Management Programme (HEMP)
The Holistic Environmental Management Programme (HEMP) is a programme focusing on the improvement of our
environmental management at the property levels. The principle of HEMP is to reassure that our operation is
environmentally friendly and have lowered as much as possible negative impacts to the environment. During
both development and operation, the number of initiatives will practically be implemented through various
interventions such as policy and procedures, best practices, capacity development and etc. The aspects for our
HEMP practices include:
- Greenhouse gas emissions,
- Management of Energy efficiency and conservation
- Land use planning and management
- Management of freshwater resources and water conservation
- Management of ecosystem conservation
- Waste management
- Waste water management
- Air quality protection and noise control
As a part of HEMP, we pay high attention to encourage our hosts to improve their ability in dealing with the
environment through our training and capacity development programme. Environmental awareness is key
element for our operation in which our hosts are required to meet the environmental standard. Not only our
host awareness, Six Senses are very much welcome our guests to play a vital role contributing to our better
environment.
Social and Environmental Responsibility Programme (SERP)
As a part of our sustainability policy, Six Senses Groups has committed to contribute 0.5 % of our revenues to
social and environmental projects initiated by various partners. Sustainability, ownership and impact of the
projects are among our key success for our SERP programme.
Local Levels: We are committed to provide approximately 40% of our contribution to be typically spent for the
efforts at the local level. Six Senses believes that local community is a key role to the achievement of
sustainable development. Wherever possible, we support the local community not only through our local
employment policy but also we strive to assist the local community through a variety of development activities
with the attempt to protect local environment, and promote the local initiative that encourages culture and
social preservation.
Country Level: Despite our commitment to the development at local level, Six Senses also praises high concern
on the initiatives and efforts making at the country level. We believe in good practices and lessons learned
which play significant part of sustainable environment. With this reason, our SERP programme also set aside a
substantial budget to support the organizations, institutions, NGOs, and other civic groups to develop the
innovative good practice as well as replicate lesson learned at national levels.
Global Level: Environmental problems become borderless issue at international level. There are number of
efforts to tackle with the environmental problem at global level. Being a part of those efforts, Six Senses also
regards as our responsibility. In doing so, Six Senses has allocated the budget to support such the effort and
activity to cope with the global environmental problems.

Social and Environmental Corporate Initiatives
As part of our wider social and environmental responsibility programme, Six Senses has also formed an
association with other partners (e.g. Care for Children and Converging World) to implement the pilot projects
which allow our guests to join us in supporting the social and environmental initiatives.
Care for Children
There is a big difference between the type of foster care in the West and the practice in developing countries.
Most children in the west come into care through some form of abuse in the past, and may have contact with
their natural families. Children in developing country, many of who are disabled, come into care through
abandonment because of their disability or gender, so their traumas are very different. They have no contact
with their natural families so use long term foster care (permanence) for placing children with disabilities is
necessity. This is because the foster parents need added support and training to be able to care for the child.
We needed to encourage attachment and bonding between the child and it's substitute parents as well as
continue to monitor and support the families.
Care for Children exists to relieve abandoned and orphaned children by the introduction of strategic initiatives
in child care practice. Their vision is to see one million children in families by 2010. Care for Children have set
up an extremely successful foster care programme in China and are now, with the blessing of the Thai
government, setting up a similar programme in Thailand. Six Senses are pleased to be associated with Care for
Children and its founder Mr Robert Glover, who just received an OBE for his contributions to society. One of
the beauties of Care for Children is that compared to many NGOs they have extremely low administrative costs
such that 20 $ will typically lead to one child finding foster parents, changing their life forever.
Care for Children began work on its first foster care pilot project with the Shanghai Civil
Affairs in 1998. Following the initial success in Shanghai, three other projects were started in
Kunming, Yinchuan and Chengdu. In 2003, Robert Glover received the White Magnolia Award
from the Shanghai government in recognition for his service to the city. By this date, a total of
1400 children had been placed into families. Recognizing the value of Care for Children's
project work, the Ministry of Civil Affairs invited Care for Children to partner CSWA on a nationwide project
in the 14 poorest provinces of China.
Following their success in China, Care for Children are now introducing a similar programme in Thailand and have
already made an important agreement with the Thai government to assist them with their child care
programmes.
Six Senses Carbon Offset Program
Six Senses Carbon Offset Programme, with the assistance of Converging World, is designed to offset all guest
flight carbon emissions in addition to all carbon emissions arising from Six Senses resort operations and host
travel. The non-profit programme offsets carbon emissions by replacing coal fired power plants with Suzlon®
wind turbines in south India. Funds generated from this sustainable green energy are used to implement various
social and environmental projects.

The Converging World
Through The Converging World you can make a world of difference. The non-profit organisation generates clean
energy in developing countries and invests the profits back into renewable energy and community development.
The result is a more sustainable living and a way for companies and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint
and provide our children a brighter, safer future.
Location Map : India
Suzlon® Wind Turbines
Suzlon® Energy Limited is a leader in wind energy and a pioneer
in end-to-end wind power solutions. The company was established in 1995
and has grown to become a global corporation with operations across five
continents. The company will install a 2.1 Megawatt Six Senses wind turbine
in India, large enough to provide energy to a small town with approximately
5,000 residents. For more information on Suzlon® please refer to
www.suzlon.com
Carbon Offset
During its 20-year lifespan, one Six Senses wind turbine generates approximately 80,000 Megawatt hours of
clean, renewable electricity, averting the production of 70,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the
atmosphere. Some carbon footprint examples from different sized households are stated below for further
reference:

The Six Senses Resorts & Spas wind turbine is also expected to generate US$ 2,127,000 worth of carbon
credits over a 20 year period. Each year, the generated cash flow surplus arising from the Six Senses wind
turbine’s electricity income will be invested in social and environmental work. An example is the SCAD (Social
Change and Development) projects in India. For more information please refer to the convergingworld.com
From the middle of January 2008 onwards, a ‘carbon tax’ of 2 % is included in Soneva Gilli’s guest villa rates to
offset flight-related emissions. This money will automatically flow into our Six Senses Carbon Offset Fund,
which will be used to finance The Converging World’s wind turbines in India. Revenue generated from
sustainable ‘green’ energy will be used for social & environmental programs, of which 25 % will be given to an
Indian NGO called SCAD (Social Change and Development) to invest in community development. Examples of the
work that SCAD is involved in are the building of schools for disadvantaged children, the empowerment of
women and the improvement of water supplies.

Soneva Gili and the Environment
Before Soneva Resorts began developing the project, the island had been almost entirely surrounded with
concrete. Such "hard" sea walls lead to a number of environmental problems and had a very unnatural
appearance. Soneva Resorts painstakingly restored the island to a natural form planting thousands of trees and
removing the majority of the concrete "tomb" which had encased it under the previous operators and releasing
a number of marine animals trapped within the concrete walls. Now the Island supports a wide variety of
animals and has a dense cover of healthy vegetation.
During this process great care was taken with the design of the over water jetties and utilities to minimize the
impact on the natural flow of water and sediment around the Island. The open flow of the water around the
individual poles has virtually no effect on the sediment and has allowed the island to return to a more natural
shape. The building services are safely contained so that all liquid from the buildings is returned to a central
waste water treatment plant. This water is treated and used to assist vegetation regeneration and return the
Island to a natural state.
Our choice of building materials and Interiors was dictated by a desire towards sustainable development; hence
the absence of rainforest teak, coral, or turtle shell. We have taken great care to source our materials from
renewable sources using sustainable harvested wood, wherever possible certified by the Forestry Steward Ship
Council (FSC). We recycle and use recycled teak in some of our villas.
Materials such as pine, telegraph poles, palm wood, bamboo and plantation teaks were used instead. Interior
items such as water hyacinth, (the reeds that clog rivers), and papier-mâché (old newspapers covered by rice
paper) demonstrate a good use of waste products. In addition to the wood used in the structures of our
buildings, much of our furniture is made using wood from renewable sources produced where possible using local
products from traditional craftsmen. Where not available in the Maldives products are often made for us under
the inspiration and guidance of our creative director by traditional craftsmen in rural Thailand, helping
preserve local cultures and lifestyles there.
As a hotel operation, we have established practices to limit the amount of energy we consume and waste which
we produce. We try to ensure that any waste that is created, as a result of our existence is carefully disposed
of.”
At Soneva Gili, we are working on reducing one-word gas emissions through improving energy efficiency and
minimizing the carbon footprint of our operations. The impact of global warming induced sea level rise in the
Maldives is of great concern, as much of the country is less than a meter above sea level. If current carbon
dioxide emissions continue, much of the Maldives could be underwater within 50 years!

Soneva Gili Sustainability Policy
As part of Six Senses, Soneva Gili is committed to reducing the environmental and social impacts of its
activities. Its core purpose is to create innovative and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment. We
are committed to sustainable development, specifically to the protection and regeneration of both the
environment and communities in which we operate. Through the development and implementation of our Holistic
Environmental Management Programme we are committed to monitoring and continually improving our
sustainability. Soneva Gili has identified a team of key individuals to drive our Holistic Environmental
Management Programme and has established
the following objectives to be met during both construction and operation:
To meet or, wherever possible, to improve upon the local legislative environmental requirements and to
set our own group-wide minimum standards
To reduce resource consumption and waste generation through responsible waste-reducing purchasing
polices, reuse, recycling and composting programmes
To responsibly manage energy use and to seek renewable energy sources
To responsibly manage and protect water resources
To promote awareness of sustainability amongst hosts, guests, local communities and suppliers/business
partners through training programmes, regular environmental awareness events and engaging business
partners
To donate 0.5 % of revenues to projects which benefit both the local and global community and
environment
To address the issue of climate change through both energy management as part of its resource
management policies and avoidance of fugitive emissions of CFCs
To regularly monitor our environmental impact, developing action plans through regular environmental
meetings and monitoring of Key Sustainability Indicators
To prevent any escape of hazardous substances into the environment and to phase out environmentally
damaging products as soon as benign alternatives are practicable
To preferentially purchase local, environmentally friendly, socially responsible products, especially
organic and fair trade products
To strictly avoid the use of animal products derived using unnecessarily cruel or environmentally
destructive production methods or those derived from any endangered species
To engage local communities and actively employ local staff and service providers wherever practicable
To integrate social and environmental concerns into planning and decision-making processes
To continually review and improve Six Senses’ Holistic Environmental Management Programme

How You Can Help Us Be More Sustainable
Whilst we try to design our rooms and facilities to save energy, we need your help to further reduce water,
energy and resource consumption.
1. Energy
Producing energy usually creates pollution and is the biggest cause of global warming. At Six Senses we are
working on several projects to upgrade our systems to use renewable energy and to reduce our energy usage.
You can help us:
- Avoid using the air-conditioning. Open the window or louvres and enjoy the fresh air – you are not in
the city now! If you can, it is best to open windows or louvres on either side of your residence to let
the wind blow through. Also try using the fan.
- If you do use the AC, keep it on as high a temperature setting as makes you comfortable.
- Try just using sheets and not using the duvet while you are sleeping.
- See the section on laundry below.
- Avoid leaving water taps running, especially hot-water taps. Heating water causes a lot of pollution,
since it requires much energy.
Energy Saving Measures:
2. Water
- Use natural ventilation and avoid air-conditioning
- Shut doors and windows when using air-conditioning
- Avoid wasting water, especially hot water
- Turn off lights
- Reduce laundry
Water consumption is quite a concern in Maldivian resorts as a lot of energy is used to prepare freshwater for
your every-day needs. All the water you are using for washing, taking a shower and flushing the toilet originally
comes from the sea and has been prepared in our reverse-osmosis desalination plant, which consumes a large
amount of diesel as an energy source and this way contributes to the depletion of fossil fuels and to global
warming. You can help by trying to reduce your water consumption.
Water Saving Measures:
- Avoid leaving taps running when washing and taking
a shower
- Reduce laundry
- Avoid wasting water, especially hot water
3. Laundry
Ways to reduce laundry
- Reuse both towels and bed sheets and communicate
you wish to the room attendant.
Laundry is one area where a lot of water and
energy are used: energy to heat the water,
run the machines, create the water, dry and
iron the clothes. Additionally, a certain
amount of detergents are required. We try
to minimise the energy and chemicals use through use of eco-friendly procedures. One area where guests can
help is by reducing the amount of laundry to save water and detergents. Please leave the towels hanging, if you

would like to use them again; leave them on the floor, if you would like them replaced. With the bed sheets,
please leave the terracotta sun on the bed, so that we know you are happy to use the same sheets the following
day.
4. Waste
Waste, garbage, trash, whatever you like to call it, is a huge source and cause of environmental degradation –
either through litter illegally dumped/dropped, which washes up on beaches all over the world and which we see
lying around, or that which is legally disposed of in landfill sites, often in pristine areas, destroying them
forever. We are actively looking for ways to reduce the garbage generated; however, there are some things,
which we cannot dispose safely in this area, for example batteries, and any electronic equipment. These are
often mixed with other trash, where they either end up being incinerated or buried. In either case, they
release very toxic chemicals into the air and water. We have switched to disposable batteries. However, it
would be a great help, if you could take your batteries or any electronic equipment for disposal in your home
country.
Ways to reduce garbage in Maldives:
5. Nature
- Take used batteries, electronic equipments and
plastic waste to your home country
Soneva Gili is surrounded by a beautiful, biologically diverse coral reef, while the island itself is also home to
numerous animal and plant species. In order to keep the local nature in an ecological balance and the organisms
healthy, a few easy steps can be taken by our guests:
- Please do not touch anything under water. Many animals are sensitive to touch and can easily get
damaged. Corals, e. g., have a mucus layer around them, while other animals, e. g. turtles, may suffer
from stress.
- Do not break off any corals by standing on the reef or by flapping with the fins. Corals are living
animals and require many decades to build those reef formations.
- Please refrain from feeding the fish as well as our animals on the island (e. g. rabbits and chickens). It
changes their natural behaviour (they may become used to being fed and lazy to search for food on
their own; some fish may also become aggressive), it may make them sick, and it is considered a major
disturbance for the whole ecosystem.
- Please do not collect any shells, broken coral pieces or other objects on the island and in the sea. They
may serve as homes for hermit crabs and, consisting of calcium carbonate, are very important for
generating new sand.
- Please do not buy any marine products, i. e. coral jewellery, shells, shark jaws etc. Even though these
items are not available at the resort, you may find them on other islands. The concern is that most of
the animals those shells originally belong to have deliberately been killed for the tourism industry and
are often endangered species. You may also risk fines at the border.

Sustainable Experiences
1. Vegetable Garden
Soneva Gili’s vegetable garden is situated in the centre of the island above the freshwater lens, where the
island’s soil is richest thanks to hundreds of years of accumulating leaf mulch.
The idea of a vegetable garden originated from our sister property in Baa Atoll, following successful operation
of a similar garden. Healthy growth of the garden herbs was challenged by the sand and gravel soil of the
island, until our resident permacultrist Louis weaved his magic. Today the garden contributes organic herbs and
vegetable for our restaurants, including lettuce, rocket, mizuna, mibuna, komatsuna, mustard greens, morning
glory, spinach, basil, mint, tarragon, garlic chives, okra and many others.
The garden is still meticulously tended without the use of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides by the same
team of faithful gardeners.
You are welcome to visit the vegetable garden during daylight hours. Our gardeners will be happy to show you
around and to offer you to taste several types of herbs and lettuce. Garden lunches made with vegetarian
produce fresh from the gardens are available daily on reservation. Please refer to the “Food & Beverage”
compendium for more information or ask your Mr./Ms. Friday.
2. Fruit Garden
The fruit garden is located behind fresh water pool, and on the way to Jetty 3. Fruit Garden is still pretty new,
started only one year ago. What you will mainly see in the fruit garden at the moment limited to native papayas.
What you don’t see beneath the soil is more interesting. They are yet to come out, including custard apple,
stone fruit, mango; avocado, fig, lemon, lime.
To make our own fertilizers, we recycle the kitchen waste and wood waste from the carpentry workshop to
produce our own compost.
3. Herb Garden
Herb Garden
Fruit Garden
Herb Garden is located on the main road on the way to the Spa. This is still very much an experimental project,
lead by our permaculturist Louis Thompson and the spa team. The idea of a herb garden is to produce native
medicines and plants which are widely used in spa treatments. You will appreciate these rare plants, growing
healthily in our tropical garden. They include, varieties of basil, cedar, tea tree etc.

Marine Life
As for marine life, the Maldivian waters are well endowed. Coral growth is apparently controlled by currents and
wave action. The walls and passes are host to a diversity of hard corals, while in most cases, soft corals and sea
fans will be found deeper, and/or in the more protected waters. As for fish, divers familiar with the Pacific will
find most of their Indo-Pacific favorites in place, with the addition of certain species endemic only to the
Indian Ocean. Due to the frequency of strong currents, we consistently saw a good population of pelagics.
White tip and gray sharks, the occasional leopard shark, manta rays, eagle rays, tuna, large jacks, and turtles,
plus big snapper and other predator fishes cruise wherever the currents play.
The large and very handsome Napoleon Wrasse are an oft repeatable treat, and in addition to the Clark's
Anemone fish, there is a clown fish specific only to the Maldives. There are also some beautiful endemic
butterfly fishes and a variety of colorful small wrasse and gobies, plus huge schools of everything from tiny
sardines to french grunt, surgeon fish, and dashing fusiliers. There are lion and scorpion
fish, moray eels, including the beautiful (and elusive) zebra moray,
tridacna clams of various colors, giant scallops, big mussels amidst the soft corals, tons of tube astrea, octopus,
star fish, and a sprinkling of nudibranchs.
Maldives is said to have the greatest coral diversity of reefs in the western Indian Ocean and is one of the
most species rich marine areas in the world. Many species listed as globally threatened or endangered have
been recorded in the Maldives. The reefs of the Maldives are the 7th largest in the world in terms of area
covered and contribute up to 5% of the world’s reef area. Atoll lagoons contain a variety of reef structures
including faros, microatolls, patch reefs and knolls. The formation of faros is virtually unique to the Maldives.
Maldives is also cognisant of the need to conserve biological diversity. Recognising importance of protecting the
marine ecosystems in the Maldives, 25 sites have been designated by the Government as protected areas. The
harvesting and export of turtles, black coral, dolphins, pearl oysters, stony corals, eels, parrot fish, whales and
whale sharks, skates and rays, trochus shells, and triton shells are banned.
Effects of coral bleaching in Maldives
Feb 1997 Dec 1997 Mar 1999
The term “bleaching” refers to the whitening of corals that is the result of expulsion of zooxanthellae from
coral tissue, or loss of pigment in zooxanthellae that remain. Mortality of a coral colony following bleaching can
be partial or total. It takes 1-2 years fro the coral to start recovering once affected. Coral reefs in the
Maldives were severely impacted by the 1998 coral-bleaching event, with subsequent bleaching-induced
mortality reducing coral cover from about 42% to 2% (Zahir, 2000). In cases where coral mortality is severe
reef, recovery is largely dependent upon factors that influence coral settlement and recruitment.
Sound like a diver and snorkeler's dream, but in fact, the unusually warm water had a visible effect on the reef.
Coral bleaching became widely evident. Likewise many anemones and even some tridacna clams lost their normal
colours.
As corals weaken, they can eventually be overcome by algae. Ocean water temperatures in the Maldives have
now returned to their normal range of 80-84 degrees Fahrenheit. However, in the short term, it has been

eported that as much as 60% - 70% of the hard corals have been severely damaged or killed. Hopefully this
situation can and will reverse itself, but that remains to be seen.
Crown of thorn starfish
Crown of thorn star fish are red colord echinoderms protected by thorn-like spines.
They grow to a diameter up to 40 cm across. They prey on coral polyps. It digests its
food by climbing onto its prey and extruding its stomach over the coral colony, releasing
digestive enzymes to then absorb the liquefied tissue. They feed solitarily at night and
maintain a constant distance between themselves and other A. planci. Individual starfish
feed on up to 13 square miles of coral per year. During times of food shortage, these
animals can live on energy reserves for over six months at a time. However, a
proliferation of this species can be detrimental to the survival of coral reefs.
These are voracious predators of corals and can wipe out large areas of coral, thus
potentially upsetting the basis of one of the world's most diverse ecosystems. It is possible that crown-ofthorns
starfish eggs and larvae are preyed upon by economically important reef fish. The decline of these reef
fish populations may contribute to population increases in crown-of-thorns starfish.
This species has greatly increased in population size since the 70's, causing great damage to the coral reefs of
the Indo-Pacific Ocean, as well as the Red Sea and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Core sampling and
radiocarbon dating of sediments from different reefs suggest that this has been occurring for thousands of
years, but is increasing in frequency.
Current Diving
A major factor in Maldivian diving is the current itself. On some dives, one can experience strong and
unpredictable current action. A typical dive is to go outside the wall in blue water. Descend below 100 feet and
drift with the current along the wall, watching for sharks, turtles, eagle rays,
mantas, etc. Then come to a corner where a channel (kandu) cuts through the reef
and goes inside the atoll. This is where the highest concentration of fish will be
found. Hang out on that corner for a while, then let go and ride the current and
incoming tide up the channel until it plays out inside the reef. It can be very
exciting, but it can also be physically challenging. One of the dives, Banana Reef in
North Male Atoll, is notable in the dive guidebook for its "washing machine"
current action.
December through March, the Maldives is probably not a destination for beginner divers, or weak swimmers.
The rest of the year offers easier diving. Just remember that the big fish thrive on the current, and that is
what you will see on these current dives - big fish, sharks, eagle rays, mantas, and more. Divers who have
learned to handle the currents and "go with the flow" will have a wonderful time.
Global Warming and Sea Level Rise
Eighty percent of the Maldives are less than three feet above sea level. It has been surmised that at current
rates of global warming, in just 100 years the entire country of Maldives could disappear underwater. As
sobering as that thought may be, consistently warmer water can have other effects on a coral reef. During the
first half of 1998, a super-heated body of water moved across the Indian Ocean.
For approximately one month, Maldivian ocean temperatures went up over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Bathtubwarm
water may
Higher global sea levels are projected because of a rise in the mean surface temperature of the earth between
0.3 and 0.6oC since the late nineteenth century and a continuing warming trend. While scientists are still
uncertain how much sea levels might rise, the projections indicate to a rise of sea level by 0.09 to 0.88 meters
between 1990 and 2100.

With more than 80% of the land area of the Maldives less than a meter above mean sea level, the slightest rise
in sea level will prove extremely threatening. Many islands already suffer inundation and shoreline erosion. The
magnitude of the projected sea level rise threatens the very existence of life in Maldives.
Conservation of Marine Environment
You could help in our efforts to conserve biodiversity by not buying any products of endangered animals or
plants, particularly not buying jewellery or ornaments made of turtle shell. In snorkelling and diving, appreciate
the richness and beauty of the coral reefs and the sea that surround us and do not engage in any damaging
activities. Multiply the message of conservation through wearing T-shirts, and badges with conservation
symbols and slogans. You can also assist and participate in our efforts to catalogue and preserve the
biodiversity we have.
Protected Marine Species
Marine Products Prohibited to Export from the Maldives
Local Name Common Name Scientific Name
Landaa Parrot fish Charonia tritonis
Sangu Triton shells
Ven Eels Family: Palinuridae
Ihi, ihi mas Lobster, lobster meat
Velaa kahanbu Turtles and their products of any nature

Hiri, Gaa, Muraka All stony corals excluding organ pipe coral
Mushimas Bigeye scad, under 6”
Ithaa All pearl oysters
Gonu foo enburi Trochus shells
Madi Skates and rays
Koli Puffer fish
En Bait fish used in tuna pole and line fishery
Endheri Black coral and all products of black corals Order: Antipatharia
Koamas Dolphin Phylum: Cetacea
Bodumas Whale and whale sharks
Phylum: Cetacea / Rhincodon
Gaahaka Giant Clam Family: Tridacnidae
Endangered turtles
typus
Local Name Common Name Scientific Name
Velaa Green Turtle Chelonia mydas
Musinbee Leather Black Turtle Dermochelys
Vaavoshi velaa Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidocheleys olivacea
Boabodu velaa Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta
Kahanbu Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata
Kanzu kahanbu
Fauna of Maldives and Coral Reef Animals
Many beautiful and fragile animals have adapted to the warm waters of coral reefs. Because the reefs offer
natural protection to many of the fish, many interesting adaptations have taken place. The result is some of the
most bizarre and beautiful creatures found in the sea.
Coral reef creatures often have familiar names, such as hogfish, batfish, lionfish, and stonefish.
The forceps butterfly fish has a strong and narrow beak, which is shaped like forceps.
Perhaps the adaptations appeared over time because the odd shape and colour created camouflage, which
protected the species from predators.

A Titan Triggerfish Advisory
by William (Bill) Allison
Description
The Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) is one of the largest
triggerfishes (faiop’mily Balistidae). A large one might be 60 cm (24 in) long.
They eat hard things and so have blunt peg-like and crushing teeth.
Titans are critically important for coral reefs
Some researchers consider the titan essential for a healthy reef system
(McClanahan, 1992) because:
(1) They trim away portions of coral rock weakened by boring clams. This provides a solid foundation for new
corals to settle on.
(2) They eat hard or spiny animals such as some snails, sea urchins and the coral-eating Crown-of-thorns
Starfish. In Kenyan locations, where titans have been removed, the reefs and sandy areas are dominated by
long-spined black sea urchins (McClanahan, 1992). Such urchins can be hazardous to people and, as they gnaw
away at the base of corals while grazing their algal food, the corals eventually topple over.
(3) In Maldives there are fewer broken corals in titan nesting areas (Allison, 1995).
Titans can be intimidating
During a period of about four days a month, the titan spawns. During this time, they display at and chase other
animals, INCLUDING PEOPLE, from their spawning area. The male blows water over the eggs and defends them
until they hatch and the larvae swim away. The female may hide nearby and participate in defense.
Coping with defending titans
It’s very easy: Although most of the time it will leave first, a titan defending a nest fears for the safety of its
offspring and wants you to leave the area. Respect that and leave.
(1) Wear goggles or a mask so you can more easily see and avoid potentially harmful objects and organisms such
as titans, sharp abrasive surfaces and spiny animals.
(2) As you dive, snorkel or swim, watch for titans.
(3) If a titan does not leave, you should watch it while you swim around it over deeper water. (Remember: it’s
the reef it defends, not the ocean.)
(4) If a titan rushes at you it will turn away at the last second on the first run. This is a display to get your
attention. It means “go away”. If this happens you should get your fins between you and the titan and swim
away, kicking at it, if it rushes again. It will soon leave you alone.
(5) You may also practice slapping the water with your hand or fin. The noise will chase the titan away long
enough for you to swim in the other direction.
(6) The very nervous might want to request the assistance of the marine biologist or a guide from water sports
until they overcome their nervousness.
(7) To find out if the titans are spawning, ask the marine biologist, the dive school or the Water Sports Centre.
References
Allison, W. R. (1995). Degradation and recovery of Maldivian reefs. Reef Encounter 17: 6-7
Allison, W. R. (1996). Snorkeler Damage to reef corals in the Maldive islands. Coral reefs 15: 215-218
McClanahan, T. (1992). Triggerfish: coral reef keystone predators. Swara 15: 15-16

Black-footed Clownfish
(Amphiprion Nigripes)
Black Spotted Gardeneel
(Heteroconger Hassi)
Blackspotted Pufferfish
(Arothron Stellatus)
Blacktip Reef Shark
(Carcharhinus Melanopterus)
(Acanthurus Leucosternon)
The body is oval and stout and is covered with large scales. The dorsal profile
of the head presents a saddle formation above the eyes. The snout is brief,
mouth small and terminal. The caudal fin has a round upper edge. The coloration
ranges from orange to yellow, but there is always a white strip on the head. The
ventral fins are black. This fish lives in symbiosis with the genus Heteractis.
They grow to be seven or eight centimetres in length.
They live in large colonies in sandy areas, generally deeper than 20 metres.
They are seen with the front portion of their bodies out of their holes,
allowing them to wave in the water, in search of plankton on which they
feed. With a head distinguished by a short snout, their eyes are large and
mouth oblique with large lips. The body is light coloured and is spangled
with numerous small dark spots, with larger spots closer to the back. The
species can grow to a length of 40 centimetres.
The body is elongated and globular, with an oval silhouette, and is
covered in small spines. The young of the species have a rubbery texture,
while adults are more flaccid. The mouth is powerful equipped with two
large adjacent dental plates on each jaw. The colouring is typically
mottled. In the young the belly is marked by pronounced black stripes.
The base of the pectoral fins is black. This fish propels itself along with
its dorsal and anal fins. It is common to encounter this species on the
sandy bottoms of lagoons. It grows to a length of 100-120 centimetres.
Carcharhinid of moderate size, it is common in shallow coastal waters,
especially near open sea reefs. The body is elongated, the snout is short
and rounded and the head is flat. The tips of the fins are black. The teeth
are triangular. The blacktip Reef Shark grows to a length of two metres
and often displays territorial behaviour.
Blue Surgeonfish
The body is oval and compressed. The snout is short and has a concave
profile. The dorsal and anal fins are rounded and the caudal fins are
slightly incised. The general coloration of the body is dark blue. The head is
black. The dorsal fin is yellow, edged with black and light blue. The caudal
fin is light blue at the centre while the edges are black and dark blue. The
base of the pectoral fin is orange. There is a yellow spot on the caudal

peduncle which indicates the position of the sharp erectile spine. These fish live in schools and are herbivorous.
They attain a length of twenty centimetres.
Bluestriped Snapper
(Lutjanus Kasmira)
Bullethead Parrotfish
(Scarus Sordidus)
Clown Triggerfish
(Balistoides Conspicillum)
Coral Grouper
(Cephalopholis Miniata)
Giant Manta
(Manta Birostris)
Tapered body with pointed snout. Large eyes and mouth. The dorsal fin
extends to the height of the caudal peduncle. The coloring is golden yellow
on the back becoming gradually paler along the sides and almost silvery on
the belly. Typical of the species are the four light stripes running
lengthwise, with the longest stripe running from the mouth to the caudal
peduncle. The edges of the dorsal and caudal fins are black. This fish
measures forty centimeters in length.
The general configuration of the body is typical of the parrotfish. The dental
plates can be clearly seen. The young present a pattern with horizontal
stripes. As they grow this colouring turns dark brown. The adult males are
green in colour and the edges of their scales are salmon pink. The cheeks are
bright orange fading
to yellow on the opercula. Strangely their teeth are green while the female of
the species has a pink mouth.
The body is oval and compressed. The mouth is terminal with protruding
incisors and the snout is pointed. The caudal fin is rounded. The colouring of
is very vivid making it very easy to recognize. The clown triggerfish is one the
best known in its family. The upper portion of it body is dark and speckled
with yellow. The lower portion is adorned with large white spots. The lips are
a yellowish orange and there is a yellow band beneath the eyes. The clown
triggerfish live along the outer wall of the reef and grow to a length of 50
centimeters.
The body is massive and slightly compressed and quite similar to the
peacock grouper. However the rear edges of the dorsal and anal fins
are less rounded. The colouring is bright reddish orange with numerous
small dark blue oscillate spots scattered all over its body and fins. The
spots tend to be darker in the adults. A fairly territorial species,
which prefers to remain in the vicinity of the grottoes and crannies of
the reef. It has been observed that these become gregarious and
gather in specific areas during the mating season. It attains a length
of 40 to 50 centimeters.

(Gymnothorax Javanicus)
Grey Reef Shark
(Carcharhinus Amblyrhynchos)
Leopard Moray
(Gymnothorax Undulatus)
Long nose Hawkfish
(Oxycirrhites Typus)
Easily recognized by their well-developed pectoral fins, the giant
manta can attain a width of five to six meters. The head projects from
its body and is distinguished by a pair of long, flat, flexible cephalic
fins separated by the large arch of the mouth. The upper jaw is devoid
of teeth and the spineless tail is long and slim. The dorsal colouring is
dark, while the ventral colouring is quite light with dark blotches.
These dark spots can be used to distinguish one individual specimen
from another.
Giant Moray
The giant morays are the largest morays and are fairly common
throughout the Maldives. The body is powerful with a well developed
head. The snout is short and the mouth is wide. The openings of the
opercula’s are large and black and are quite evident. The body is marked
by three rows of dark brown spots. The tail is reticulated. The giant
moray can grow to as long as two and a half meters in length.
This species is fairly common in the waters of the Maldives. During
dives it is not uncommon to see to or three swimming along the reef
wall towards the deeper seabed. The grey reef shark is easily
recognizable by its silhouette -stout, and against its grayish colour the
white rear edge of the first dorsal fin and the black edge of the tail
both stand out prominently. It prefers to feed upon fish but do not
pass up on other forms of reef life. The gray reef shark can attain a
length of two meters.
The leopard moray has a general squat shape. Its forward section
appears rather large and tall because of its massive head and its dorsal
fin that begins at the nape of what may be considered as its neck and
the gill aperture. The colour of its body is marbled in appearance and
the head is spotted. The edge of the gills and the tip of the tail are
white. It lives amidst the nooks and crannies of the reef as well as in
the flat areas and the slopes of the reef. The leopard moray grows to
length of 1.5 metres.
A cylindrical body, taller at the centre and terminating in an elongated
snout. The mouth is small and the spinous part of the dorsal fin bears a
series of appendages. The pectoral fins are particularly well developed
and are used to balance over gorgonians. Amongst the gorgonians the
fish is perfectly camouflaged because of its matching tone and colour,

the series of red stripes that form a checkerboard design. The long nose hawk fish attains a length of 10 to 13
centimeters.
Long-nosed Butterflyfish
(Forcipiger Longirostris)
Oriental Sweetlips
(Plectorhynchus Orientalis )
(Cephalopholis Argus)
(Rhinecanthus Aculeatus)
Royal Angelfish
(Pygoplites Diacanthus)
Extremely distinctive in shape and easily recognizable by its long beaklike
snout and the truncated rear portion of its body. The upper section
of the head is black and the lower section lighter in colour with silvery
highlights. The body is yellow with a few dark stripes at the base of the
pectoral fin. The caudal fin is transparent. The long nose butterfly fish
live in small groups of five to six and feed on invertebrates that they
catch using their long snouts from nooks and crannies. They grow to a
length of 18 centimeters.
The body of the oriental sweet lips is oblong, tall and compressed. Its
mouth is small and lips thick. The flanks are distinguished by six or seven
black striations lengthwise; the two central striations extend all the way to
the caudal fin. Its snout is yellow as are the fins that are spotted black.
The oriental sweet lip tend to form small groups and stays motionless in the
shelter of large coral formations. They feed on mollusks and crustaceans
and can grow to a length of 50 centimeters.
Peocock Grouper
The body of the peacock grouper is massive, tapered and slightly
compressed, with a powerful head and a slightly prominent lower jaw.
The edge of the caudal fin is rounded. The dorsal fin with a rounded
rear edge has nine spinous rays that end in the proximity of the caudal
peduncle and opposite the anal fin. Its body is marked by numerous
dark blue spots and by ten darker bands on the sides. The fins are
dark blue. It attains a length of 50 centimetres.
Picasso Triggerfish
The body of the picasso triggerfish is oval and compressed. Its head is
conical and snout long and pointed. The forward and ventral part of the
body is light in colour and the rear part is dark. Its mouth is edged
with light blue and yellow and a striation of the same colour extends
from what would be the nape of its neck to the eyes. A series of light
coloured oblique bands extend over its flanks. The caudal peduncle has
three rows of small black spines. The picasso triggerfish grows up to a
length of thirty centimetres.

Spotted Eagle Ray
(Aetobatus Narinari)
Spotted Unicornfish
(Naso Brevirostris)
50 centimetres.
Stingray
(Taeniura Melanospilos)
diameter.
Trumpetfish
Its body is not as tall as the others in the angelfish family. The rear
edges of the dorsal and anal fins are well developed but do not exceed
the caudal fin. The body has a background colouring of orange and
yellow with eight or nine dark blue bands. The eyes are surrounded by
two sharply defined dark blue stripes. The dorsal fin has a fairly dark
vermiculation, while the anal fin has parallel yellow stripes along its
edge. The young are fairly similar and have posterior ocellar spot. The
fish grows to a length of 30 centimetres.
This ray can be easily recognised by its pointed and convex head with
large eyes and broad lateral spirales. The body is diamond-shaped and
has broad, pointed pectoral fins. The tail, with one, two or three
denticulated spines, is about three times the length of its body. The
ventral fins are broad and fleshy. The back is dark in colouring with
many white spots. The disk-shaped body measures up to two and a
half metres in width. It attains a total length of up to two and a half
metres. It can also be found in shallow lagoons (one to five metres in
depth) on sandy areas.
This is the most distinctive of the surgeon fish, easily recognised by
its powerful oval body that terminates in a long beak, which in turns
extends well beyond the snout. On the sides of the peduncle there are
two bony plates, each bearing a sharp spine. The caudal fin is rounded.
Its colouring ranges from greyish-blue to olive brown. The lips are
sometimes bluish. Its tail features a pale band along the lower edge.
The spotted unicornfish has gregarious habits and attain a length of
The body of the stingray is rounded, disk-like and slightly raised at the
edges. The eyes are set in a raised position, immediately behind which are
the large spiracles that allow the animal to breathe even when it is lying in
the bottom of the sea. Its back is rough due to the presence of tubercules.
The tail, which is longer than its body width, has one or two venomous
spines with serrated edges. The colour at its back is greyish with brown or
black spot and its belly is light in colour. Stingrays are often found on
sheltered sandy sea beds or in grottos. They grow to a size of one metre in
(Aulostoma Chinensis)
An elongated compressed body which terminates in the front with a long
and tubular snout. At the tip of the snout is a small mouth with a barble

eneath the mandible. At the centre of its back are a number of stout and erectile spines, the vestigial residue
of the first dorsal fin. The second dorsal fin is located near the caudal peduncle, opposite of the anal fin. The
coloration ranges from yellowish to greenish. The trumpetfish feed on other smaller fish and crustaceans. They
grow to a length of 60 centimetres.
Whale Shark
(Rhincodon Typus)
Yellowfin Fusilier
(Caesio Xanthonota)
Bat Fish
(Platax Teira)
This is the world’s largest fish, and it can easily be recognised by it size.
The head is flat and terminates in a large mouth, distinguished by the
presence of numerous small teeth. The eyes are very small. The whale
shark prefers to swim near the surface, where it feeds on small fish,
cephalopods and crustaceans. The colouring is dark and light blue with
distinctive white spots on the back. The belly is white. The fish is not
dangerous; it grows to a length of eighteen metres.
The body of the yellowfin fusilier is oval, elongated and compressed. Its
snout is short and mouth small, lined with small teeth. The dorsal fin is
long. The caudal fin is profoundly incised with pointed lobes. The upper
portion of the body and the caudal fin are yellow in colour. The lower half
is light blue in colour. Its eyes are red. The base of the pectoral fins is
black, the edges of the caudal, analy are pinkish. The fish live in schools
along the exposed side of the reef. They grow to a length of 30
centimetres.
The body of the batfish is very flat and compressed, so that the adult of
the species actually resembles a disk. The forward profile of the head is
convex and smooth, but it is broken in line with the snout, which becomes
progressively longer. The young of the species have very tall and narrow
dorsal and anal fins, but over time these become shorter and rounder.
The coloration also varies with age. The young are reddish or yellowishbrown,
while the adults display broad dark vertical bands, or else are
more or less silvery, while parts of their fins are dark in colour. They live
in small schools and are omnivorous. They grow to a length of 50
centimetres.
Getting Started with Snorkeling
The aim of the perfect snorkeling technique is to allow you to enjoy the underwater world in comfort using
minimum effort. Here are some tips to help you get the most from your experience.
Setting up your mask and snorkel

Check with the Dive School personnel to ensure that your mask fits and that any purges on the mask and
snorkel function properly.
A mask that is new, or has not been used for some time, may have a thin layer of grease on the faceplate that
will cause condensation to form, obscuring the view. To avoid this problem give the inside of the faceplate a
scrub with toothpaste. A dab on the end of your finger will do the trick. Despite this precaution, condensation
will nearly always form on a faceplate that has not been coated with a wetting agent. To avoid this occurrence
apply a wetting agent such as saliva, a drop of mild detergent or a commercial product specially prepared for
this purpose (which is itself a mild detergent). Apart from being free, the advantage of saliva is that you are
unlikely to forget to bring it along! Be aware that your fingers will probably be greasy after applying suntan
lotion or sun block, in which case your mask antifogging efforts could be counter-productive.
Suntan lotion can irritate your eyes, so think twice about putting it on your face before enclosing your face in a
mask. Be aware that at some point the mask may take in some water, which results in the lotion being washed
into your eyes.
Secure your snorkel on whichever side of the mask you find comfortable. Ask for advice about how to secure it,
if it is not obvious. When in the water in the snorkelling position, check to see that the snorkel is clear of water
and adjust the angle as necessary. When snorkelling, place the tip of your tongue just at the snorkel opening, so
that, if water enters the snorkel, you will detect it before inhaling it. Ask the Dive Instructors, Water Sports
hosts for advice about clearing water from a snorkel but also about more advanced topics such as free diving
and clearing your ears.
Avoiding sunburn
Apply a strong sun block and wear a shirt. Initially, it would be preferable for the garment to be long-sleeved
with a collar. The backs of the legs are often overlooked until the pain grabs your attention. Remember that a
substantial proportion of UV radiation can penetrate clothing.
Pay attention to your feet
Your fins may rub your ankles, toes and backs of the heels causing abrasions and blisters. Check occasionally to
see if this is occurring. A pair of thin socks can save your feet and give you an interesting tan.
Avoiding damage to the reef and yourself
Constantly monitor where you are and the disposition of your anatomical bits to avoid unexpected contact with
hard sharp objects or the defence system of living organisms such as sea urchins.
Remember that your mask limits your field of view, so if you swim using the breast stroke, you will not only swim
inefficiently but will lose track of your arms for most of the stroke – until contact with something hard and
sharp tells you where they are. Avoid using your arms for locomotion unless you want the exercise. In this case,
make sure you are clear of the reef.
Don’t stand on the reef unless you have a clear sand patch to stand on.
When you float upright to converse or clear your mask etc., take your arms and legs out of gear to avoid
overexertion or damage. If you can’t maintain yourself comfortably in this position, go and seek some advice
from the Dive School or Water Sports hosts. (Hint: you are probably trying to keep your mouth and nose too
high above the water.)
Snorkelling Lessons
If you have never snorkelled before with a mask, snorkel and fins, yet would like to discover the coral reef’s
fascinating sea life and see for yourself what all this talk is about, then come and participate in a snorkelling
lesson! The hosts from the Water Sports Centre will be happy to make you feel comfortable and safe in the

water and prepare you for your own snorkelling adventures. Please make your reservation with your Mr./Ms.
Friday or directly through the Water Sports Centre and ensure you bring along your snorkelling gear, which is
available on a complimentary basis from the Dive Centre.
General Snorkelling Hints
- Avoid snorkelling alone; if possible, snorkel in pairs. Should you wish to go snorkelling by yourself, inform
someone of your location and estimated time of return.
- Always be aware of the currents; they can be very strong. If you are unsure, our dive instructors, water
sports hosts and your GRO / Mr. Friday will be happy to give you some advice.
- For your own safety, avoid swimming close to the arrival jetty, due to boat movements.
- Please avoid using the water sports and shallow water diving area in front of the water sports centre. This
area is marked by white colour mooring buoys.
- Please put on your snorkelling equipment in the shallow and sandy area and snorkel out to the reef. Never
stand on the Corals! The sea life could be easily damaged or killed once in contact with your fins, and sea
urchins, corals or other animals may in turn cause injuries to you.
- The access to the reef drop-off is easier during high tide. Please check the tide table available at the Guest
Relations desk or in the “Activities” compendium.
- We suggest you to start your snorkelling from the one palm island and swim towards to the three palm
island. You can go there in a canoe available on complimentary basis from the Water Sports centre.
- Your GRO / Mr. Friday can also escort you in one of our pontoon boat to the one palm island.
- Please be aware of the currents around the island. It can be often very strong.
- Please note that there is an entrance channel to the main island on one side of the palm island. Beware of
the boat traffic while swimming.
- Please do not collect any shells, sea stars or other marine objects both in the water and on the beach; these
belong to the sea, may still be alive or serve as homes for hermit crabs.
- Some of the reef animals may potentially sting you or be poisonous. It is therefore always advisable not to
touch any underwater organisms.
- In order to prevent skin irritations and sunburn, wear a T-shirt or use suitable sun-protecting lotion while
snorkelling.
- After each exposure to seawater (swimming, water sports, snorkelling, diving), rinse your ears with
freshwater to prevent ear infections
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
- We kindly ask you not to leave the snorkelling equipment in the sun or in the sand, as it will cause damage,
resulting in fading colours, porous material and leaking masks.
Snorkelling by Speed Boat
After having explored the reef surrounding Soneva Gili, you may want to discover what other coral reefs of Baa
Atoll have to offer. Each one of them is slightly different in formation and sea life and may attract some less
common fish and invertebrate species. You may also be lucky and see a few turtles! Please inform your Mr./Ms.
Friday, if you are interested in going snorkelling by boat.

The Plants of Soneva Gili
by Anke Hofmeister
Due to the geographical isolation and harsh environmental conditions, the Maldivian islands cannot support
vegetation that is rich in diversity. Very few plant species have been able to spread out over the ocean with the
help of currents, wind and birds, and even fewer have been successful in tolerating salt spray, drought, floods
and nutrient-poor soils after their settlement. Of about 600 vascular plant species recorded in the archipelago,
only about 100 can be considered indigenous. All others have been introduced and cultivated by humans over
past centuries.
The basic substrate for plant growth is ground coral rock; limestone. As soon as pioneer plants such as sedges
and grasses inhabit a sandbank and stabilise it with their roots, the island grows and accumulates freshwater in
its centre. Organic matter, e. g. plant remains, contributes to humus build-up, which enables other plant species
to establish themselves. The natural vegetation of the Maldivian islands is tropical rain forest – given that the
freshwater lens beneath the island and the soil cover are sufficient. Islands with poorer soils support a shrub
cover of hardy salt- and drought-resistant bushes as well as sedges. Interestingly, almost all of the native plant
species are identical to those growing on Pacific islands with similar habitats more than 8,000 km away, yet
they do not occur in the land areas in between!
Because of the island’s size and little human interference, the vegetation on Kunfunadhoo Island is
extraordinarily lush. It includes many plant species that are native and well-adapted to this environment. A
typical zonation pattern of these plants becomes apparent, starting with beach pioneers (sedges and grasses)
near the shoreline and a littoral hedge (shrubs), a sublittoral thicket (shrubs and small trees) and a climax
forest of fully-grown trees towards the centre of the island. Great care has been taken not to introduce any
ornamental or non-native species.
On the following pages, the most common vascular plant species of Soneva Gili are described, and the scientific,
English and Dhivehi names are given. Emphasis is placed on trees and shrubs.
Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae)
Coconut Palm
Dhivehi Ruh
This palm tree is found throughout the
tropics where it is interwoven into the lives
of the local people. With its many uses, the
Coconut Palm is often called “the tree of life”
and has also been declared the national tree
of the Maldives. It is particularly important
in the low islands of the Indian and Pacific
Ocean, where it provides all the necessities
of life: food, drink, oil, medicine, fibre,
timber, thatch, mats, fuel, domestic utensils
and handicrafts. No parts of the plant are left unused.
The Coconut Palm is easily recognizable with its crown of feather-like
fronds and bunches of large fruits carried atop long slender stems,
which can be up to 30 m tall. Up until an age of about one year, the
leaves remain complete. Thereafter the fronds are progressively more
pinnate. The Coconut Palm has both male and female flowers on the
same inflorescence, which develops within a woody sheath-like leaf. At
flowering, this sheath splits lengthwise to expose the inflorescence.
Each inflorescence consists of about 40–60 branches, which each bear
only few globular female and hundreds of male flowers. Under good growing conditions, first flowering occurs 4–5 years after
planting. From pollination, it takes about 12 months for the fruits to mature. The almost spherical fruits consist of – from the
outside in – a thin hard skin, a thicker layer of fibrous husk that facilitates the fruits’ buoyancy in water, the hard (coconut)
shell, the white kernel and a large cavity filled with liquid. When the embryo embedded in the kernel is growing, it uses up
most of the space and water inside the cavity.
The fruits can drift great distances in seawater and are therefore responsible for the wide distribution of the species. The
palm’s natural habitat is the narrow sandy coast but people have grown the plant further inland as well.

Pandanus tectorius (Pandanaceae)
Seashore Screw Pine
Kashikeyo
The most important and characteristic
features of the Screw Pine are its many
thick and branched prop roots that firmly
anchor the tree into loose sand and hold the
stem erect. The large long leaves with small
upturned spines along the leaf edges and
midrib are spirally arranged on the stem. The
fruiting heads, resembling an orangecoloured
pineapple, consist of numerous
woody segments, which are used as basic
food on many Indo-Pacific islands and made into a popular juice drink. In the Maldives, the leaves, when cut lengthwise and
dried in the sun, are used for mat-weaving. The Screw Pine is very common along the coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Calophyllum inophyllum (Clusiaceae)
Ball Nut, Alexandrian Laurel, Beauty Leaf
Funa
This large, evergreen tree with leathery
leaves, fragrant white flowers and ballshaped
fruits is widely dispersed in the
tropical Indo-Pacific region along coastlines
and adjacent lowland forests. Since the tree
is tolerant of wind and salt spray and grows
well despite extremes in local weather
conditions, it is used for coastal shelterbelts,
windbreaks and strand reforestation. The
timber of this tree is extensively used in
carving, cabinet-making and boat-building. The oil pressed from the nuts is said to have pain-relieving effects and is widely
used for medicinal purposes and for cosmetics.
Barringtonia asiatica (Lecythidaceae)
Fish Poison Tree
Kimbi
The Fish Poison Tree is distributed along the
sandy and rocky shores of the Indian to
Western Pacific Oceans. It grows up to 25 m
and has large bronze to yellowish leaves held
in rosettes at the ends of branches. The
flowers look like white puff balls of stamens
tipped with pink. They open at night to attract
pollinators with their heavy scent and
usually fall off the next morning. The fruits
have a typical lantern or box shape and float
on the water. All parts of the tree contain saponin, a poison, which is used to stun fish. The timber is used for lacquer work,
and the smoke that is released by burning the dried fruits serves as a mosquito repellent.
Ficus benghalensis (Moraceae)
Banyan Tree
Nika
This fig tree can be more than 30 m high and
has therefore always been used as an
important landmark for Maldivian boatmen.
Due to its numerous aerial roots supporting
more and more branches, the plant can have

huge dimensions. The seeds of the Banyan Tree germinate on the branches of other trees, from where they send aerial roots
to the ground. These roots quickly become very strong and squeeze the host tree to death. The Banyan Tree produces small
red fruits that are a favourite of the local birds and fruit bats, facilitating the dispersal of seeds. The species is distributed
in tropical Asia and has its origins in India.
Artocarpus altilis (Moraceae)
Breadfruit Tree
Bambukeyo
This tall evergreen tree, up to 20 m with a
trunk as large as 2 m in diameter, can be
easily recognised by its wide, deeply lobed
leaves and the large, warty fruits. White
milky latex is present in all parts of the tree.
Even though the Breadfruit Tree provides
medicine, construction materials and animal
feed, it is mostly the abundant, nutritious
and tasty fruits that have made the species
of high value for islanders in the Indo-Pacific
region. The fruits can be cooked and eaten at all stages of maturity, are high in carbohydrates and are a good source of
minerals and vitamins. While only rather small individuals grow on Soneva Gili, larger trees can be found on local Maldivian
islands.
Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae)
Horsetail She-oak
Fithroanu
Horsetail She-oak is a fast-growing
evergreen tree up to 10 m high. Viewed from
a distance, the plant looks like a pine tree
with its long drooping needles and small
cones. It is, however, not a conifer but a
deciduous tree; the needles are jointed
branches with a number of minute leaves at
each joint, while the cones are the clustered
female flowers that become a woody
structure when ripe. The tree tolerates
strong winds and salt and can fix nitrogen, making it an ideal species for coastal protection and the reforestation of depleted
soils. The hard and heavy wood is highly valued as fuel and is used in carpentry work.
Plumeria rubra (Apocynaceae)
Frangipani, Temple Tree
Gulchampa
Frangipani trees are small or medium-sized
deciduous trees and have their leaves and
flowers arranged in clusters around the tip
of the branches. The flowers are originally
white and yellow, while those of cultivated
plants are sometimes reddish; all of them
spread a wonderful fragrance, which has
made the plant popular in the perfume
industry. They bloom all year round with only
a short leafless phase in between. The
Frangipani or Temple Tree is a symbol for eternal life and has therefore been planted near temples, graveyards and mosques.
It originally derives from America, but nowadays grows in all tropical regions.

Ochrosia sp. (Apocynaceae)
Corkwood
Dhunburi
Ochrosia trees are very common in the Maldives and grow in various places on the islands, e. g. along sandy beaches and in the
understorey in the shade of the jungle. The leaves are distinctly veined and glossy, while the flowers are small, white and
stalked. Probably the most remarkable parts
of the plant are the egg-shaped fruits: They
start off green and later turn yellow. When
they are ripe, the outside layer is often
eaten by fruit bats, and the fibrous part
becomes visible. The seed is located in the
centre. The trees are said to have medicinal
properties.
Sophora tomentosa (Fabaceae)
Necklace Pod, Silver Bush
Fusthulhaa
The Necklace Pod has a natural distribution
in coastal areas, sometimes even in sand
dunes, in subtropical and tropical climates
around the world. The compound leaves are
covered on both sides with short silvery
hairs that give the shrub a silver-green
appearance. The yellow flowers bloom
throughout the year. The brown pods hold
one to nine compressed seeds, the seeds
bulging like beads of a necklace. The seeds
and roots contain cytisine, a strong toxin, which can be particularly dangerous to young children. In small doses, parts of the
plant can be used for relieving cholera and diarrhoea as well as wounds from poisonous fish. Like other members of the pea
and bean family, Necklace Pod has a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Hibiscus tiliaceus (Malvaceae)
Coast Hibiscus, Cotton Tree
Dhiggaa
Coast Hibiscus is a hardy evergreen tree or
tall shrub with a short, crooked trunk. The
tree’s size, spreading habit, yellow or orange
flowers and large heart-shaped leaves are its
distinguishing features. The flowers only last
for one or two days and then drop to the
ground. They open in the morning and change
their colour from bright yellow to orange to
maroon in the evening. The timber of the
plant is hard and rich in colour and widely
used in household furniture. The bark contains strong fibres, which are made into thread for mat-weaving and for ropes used
on boats. Because of its floatable seeds, the Cotton Tree is found almost all over the tropical world.
Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae)
Portia Tree
Hirundhu
With its large, yellow to orange flowers,
which only last for one day and then fall off
the tree, the Portia Tree can easily be
confused with the Coast Hibiscus. However,
the centre of the flower is much lighter in
colour in the Portia Tree, the leaves are more
pointed at the tips and have pronounced
veins, and the floatable fruits are spherical.
The species also occurs less frequently on
Soneva Gili. The plant is important as a shade

and ornamental tree on many local islands, as a coastal stabilizer and for medicinal purposes. The rich, dark wood of the fastgrowing
tree is carved into bowls, tools and figures. The Portia Tree is widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae)
Noni Tree, Indian Mulberry
Ahi
Known commercially as noni, Morinda
citrifolia grows widely on Maldivian islands.
It is a native from South-eastern Asia and
Australia and now has a pantropical
distribution. This small tree is noted for its
extremely wide range of environmental
tolerances, but usually grows in close
proximity to shorelines. All parts of the plant
have traditional and/or modern uses,
including roots and bark (dyes, medicine),
trunks (firewood, tools) and leaves and fruits (food, medicine). The medicinal applications span a vast array of conditions and
illnesses. The tree has attained significant economic importance in recent years through several health and cosmetic products
made from leaves and fruits.
Adenanthera pavonina (Fabaceae)
Coral Bead Tree, Red Sandalwood
Madhoshi
Red Sandalwood has long been an important
tree in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
islands. Cultivated in home gardens and often
protected in forest clearings and village
common areas, this useful tree provides
quality fuel wood, wood for furniture and
boats, food and shade for economic crops
like coffee and spices. The tree has been
planted extensively throughout the tropics
as an ornamental tree and has become
naturalized in many countries. The fruits are green, curved, hanging pods that turn brown, coil up and split open as they ripen
to reveal small, bright red seeds. These seeds have been used for weighing gold and making jewellery and are edible when
cooked.
Cordia subcordata (Boraginaceae)
Sea Trumpet
Kaani
The Sea Trumpet is a small tree, which
thrives well in sunny, dry, coastal areas and is
native throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific
region. Characteristic are the orange,
wrinkled, trumpet-shaped flowers; they are
scentless and short-lived. The round fruits
grow in clusters and become woody when mature;
they float easily. There are many
traditional uses of the Sea Trumpet such as
the production of dye and medicinal products
from the leaves. The main product of the tree is its wood, however, which is prized for its beautiful grain that is golden with
dark markings and for its resistance to temperature changes and erosion. It is used in boat-building and furniture-making.
Guettarda speciosa (Rubiaceae)
Beach Gardenia
Uni
The Beach Gardenia is a native of the Indo-
Pacific region and grows along sandy and
rocky seashores, almost all the way to the
high tide level in places. This small,
evergreen, spreading shrub has white

trumpet-shaped flowers, which are one of the most fragrant on the island. They last only a very short time, however, and are
very sensitive to an excess of sun. The small 2 cm round fruits can float and therefore enable the species to spread out to
other islands. The timber of this tree is used as firewood and especially in lacquer work, for which Baa Atoll is famous.
Tournefortia argentea (Boraginaceae)
Tree Heliotrope, Velvetleaf Soldierbush, Octopus Bush
Boashi
The Tree Heliotrope is native throughout the
tropical Indo-Pacific region. It usually grows
in coastal environments in saline conditions
and in nutrient-poor sands and rocky soils.
Being one of the tree species closest to the
ocean, it serves as a windbreaker, a barrier
to salt spray, a stabilizer of the coast and a
habitat for shrub-nesting seabirds. The Tree
Heliotrope plays a significant role in
handicrafts, tools, canoe parts, traditional
medicine and rituals of atoll island cultures. It grows slowly, however, and has only limited use as a timber species. The wood
serves as an important source of firewood, though.
Scaevola taccada (Goodeniaceae)
Sea Lettuce, Beach Naupaka
Magoo
Sea Lettuce is a very common shrub in the
Maldives and along other Indo-Pacific
shorelines and grows along the high-tide
mark of sandy beaches. The seeds are
dispersed by birds and by water; the fruits
are floatable and can survive in seawater for
more than a year. The species is easily
identified by the glossy, somewhat succulent
leaves and the “half-flowers”, whose white
petals are arranged in a semicircle. Branches
cut off from the shrub are widely used as firewood and for making fences, while the leaves are edible when cooked and can
be smoked as tobacco. The juice of the ripe fruits is used for curing pink eye. The shrub is also important for preventing
coastal erosion.
Pemphis acidula (Lythraceae)
Ironwood
Kuredhi
planks together.
Suriana maritima (Surianaceae)
Bay Cedar
Halaveli
The wind- and salt-resistant Ironwood is
distributed along tropical coastlines around
the world and serves as an important
windbreaker and coastal stabilizer. Its
numerous low-lying branches and small,
succulent leaves help deposit the sand on the
beach. The evergreen bush usually grows in
dense thickets. Its wood is very hard and
used as firewood as well as in boat-building
for internal beams and pegs holding the
Bay Cedar is native to the Caribbean and
Central America but has spread to other
warm coastal regions as well. It is commonly
found growing in thickets, on sand dunes or
rocky shores and has a high salt, wind and
drought tolerance. It therefore serves as a

windbreaker and barrier to salt spray. Due to its shallow and extensive root system, the species also plays a vital role in the
prevention of beach erosion. This small shrub has narrow, succulent leaves and small yellow flowers. The dark red, hard wood
polishes well and is used to make small articles. The bark and leaves are also used medicinally.
Hernandia nymphaeifolia (Hernandiaceae)
Chinese Lantern Tree
Kandu
In this large evergreen tree species with
glossy leaves, separate male and female
flowers are developed on the same plant;
they open at different times of the day. The
hard black seed is enclosed in a white to pink
lantern-like vesicle, which enables the fruit
to float in the ocean water and in this way increases
the species’ range. On some Pacific
islands, the seed-bearing, marble-like
endocarps are polished and strung into
necklaces. The Lantern Tree is widespread in coastal plant communities of the Indo-Pacific region. The wood is quite soft and
used in woodcraft, while the leaves are used for local medicine.
Muntingia calabura (Elaeocarpaceae)
Jam Tree, Chinese Cherry Tree
Jeymu
This small spreading tree with a remarkably
rapid growth rate is native to tropical
America and widely cultivated in South and
Southeast Asia. It favours disturbed areas
and is considered a pioneer species. The
white flowers with many yellow stamens last
only one day, the petals falling off in the
afternoon. The abundant fruits are round
with red or sometimes yellow, smooth skin
and light-brown, soft, juicy pulp that has a
very sweet flavour and is widely eaten by children out-of-hand and can be made into jam. The wood is valued mostly as fuel
and for general carpentry work. The flowers are said to possess antiseptic properties.
Crinum asiaticum (Amaryllidaceae)
Poison Lily, Spider Lily, Poison Bulb
Kandholhu
The Poison Lily can be easily recognised by its long slender leaves and its big white spider-like scented flowers. The shrub is
up to 2 m tall and grows from an underground
bulb. The lower leaves form a stout pseudostem
from which the leaves emerge in a
rosette. The fruit is a globe which turns
shiny white when ripe and then splits open to
reveal irregularly shaped seeds. The entire
plant is poisonous but the crushed leaves and
juice from the bulbs are widely used in local
medicine as a poultice to treat aches, sores,
chaps and haemorrhoids. The species is
native in Southeast Asia but has been cultivated all over the tropics. It grows in swamps or along the coastline.
Colocasia esculenta (Araceae)
Taro, Cocoyam, Elephant’s Ear
Kahanala
Taro has been cultivated in Asia for thousands of years and serves as a staple food, in particular
for Indo-Pacific island cultures. In many ways taro is a unique crop. The tubers contain a lot of
starch and vitamins but also oxalic acid and only become edible after cooking or frying. Young taro
leaves are used as a main vegetable and boiled or covered with coconut cream, wrapped in banana
or breadfruit leaves and cooked on hot stones. The size of the taro starch grain is one-tenth that
of potato. Because of its ease of assimilation, taro can be used by persons with digestive

problems. The plant with the broad arrow-shaped leaves grows on marshy fields and other moist areas.
Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae)
Neem Tree
Hithigas
Turnera ulmifolia (Turneraceae)
Yellow Alder, Sage Rose
Bakarinukaa
Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)
Lantana Weed, Wild Sage
Kashikothan
The Neem Tree is native to India and Myanmar but was introduced to other tropical and semitropical
regions of the world. The species is so remarkable in its curative capabilities that the
locals of India call it the “village pharmacy”. It has numerous medicinal properties, aiding conditions
ranging from digestive disorders to diabetes, high cholesterol and cancer. All parts of the
tree (seeds, leaves, bark and flowers) are used, whilst neem oil is used for preparing cosmetics.
Besides its use in ayurvedic medicine, the species is of great importance as a pesticide, for its
anti-desertification properties, as a timber species and possibly as a good carbon dioxide sink. It
is a fast-growing evergreen tree with serrated leaves that can reach a height of 15–20 m.
The Yellow Alder is a perennial shrub that grows up to 60 cm in height. The leaves are pointed and
up to 5–7 cm long. The yellow flowers are produced daily, bloom for a few hours and close at night.
The Yellow Alder usually grows in disturbed areas in full sun or partial shade and attracts butterflies
and other insects. The species is native to the West Indies and Mexico.
Lantana is a 2–4 m tall branched, prickly shrub. The inflorescence is made up of 20–40 flowers, ranging in colour from white,
cream or yellow to orange, pink and red. The fruit has many berries, which are shiny purple-black when ripe and contain a
single pale seed. The foliage is finely pubescent and bad smelling. Despite its limited occurrence on most Maldivian islands,
Lantana is regarded as one of the worst weeds in many tropical regions of the world because of its invasiveness and potential
threat to native biodiversity, agriculture and forestry. It usually grows in disturbed areas, where it forms dense,
impenetrable thickets.
Ipomoea alba (Convolvulaceae)
White Morning Glory, Moonflower
Fehanda
The White Morning Glory is a strong tendril climber that can achieve extensive growth by entwining around shrubs and small
trees, many of which grow along the beach. Its large, tubular white flowers open widely at night and attract pollinators such
as moths. They close again in the morning. The globular fruits are about 3 cm in diameter. The species is native to South and
Central America; the local people there used it as an intoxicant. It is now distributed all over the tropics.
Catharanthus roseus (Apocynaceae)
Madagascar Periwinkle
Malikuruvaa
This periwinkle is a perennial, evergreen herb that was originally native to Madagascar. It has
been widely cultivated for hundreds of years and can now be found in most warm regions of the
world. The species grows 15–60 cm high, has glossy, dark green leaves and pale pink flowers all
year long. The plant has historically been used to treat a wide assortment of diseases such as
diabetes, lung congestion and inflammation, eye irritation and infections as well as an astringent,
diuretic and cough remedy. It contains many useful alkaloids, some of which have anticancer
properties.