Editing Maldives (section)

===Wildlife===
{{Main|Wildlife of the Maldives}}
{{Multiple image
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| image1            = Rekiny wąsate, Malediwy.jpg
| alt1              = Sharks
| image2            = Addu City, Maldives (Unsplash UWCIzF2gkdg).jpg
| alt2              = Nature Park
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| image3            = Maldives 09642.JPG
| alt3              = Flower
| image4            = Maldives 00345.JPG
| alt4              = Bird
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| footer            = Clockwise from top left: [[Tawny nurse shark]]s near [[Vaavu Atoll]], pier in [[Addu City]], ''[[Butorides striata]]'', and ''[[Ixora]] sp.''
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The [[wildlife of the Maldives]] includes the [[flora]] and [[fauna]] of the [[Islands of the Maldives|islands]], reefs, and the surrounding ocean. Recent scientific studies suggest that the fauna varies greatly between [[Atolls of the Maldives|atolls]] following a north–south gradient, but important differences between neighbouring atolls were also found (especially in terms of sea animals), which may be linked to differences in fishing pressure — including poaching.<ref name=Ducarme-2016-V36>{{cite report |first=Frédéric |last=Ducarme |date=2016 |title=Field observations of sea cucumbers in Ari Atoll, and comparison with two nearby atolls in Maldives |series=Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin |volume=36 |publisher=[[South Pacific Commission]] |url=http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |access-date=31 March 2016 |archive-date=10 October 2017 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171010151307/http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The terrestrial habitats of the Maldives are confronted with a significant threat as extensive development encroaches swiftly upon the limited land resources. Once seldom frequented, previously uninhabited islands now teeter on the brink of extinction, virtually devoid of untouched expanses. Over recent decades of intensive development, numerous natural environments crucial to indigenous species have suffered severe endangerment or outright destruction.

Coral reef habitats have been damaged, as the pressure for land has brought about the creation of artificial islands. Some reefs have been filled with rubble with little regard for the changes in the currents on the reef shelf and how the new pattern would affect coral growth and its related life forms on the reef edges.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Coral recovery in the central Maldives archipelago since the last major mass-bleaching, in 1998 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/srep34720.pdf |journal=Scientific Reports |date=2016 |doi=10.1038/srep34720 |access-date=3 October 2016 |last1=Pisapia |first1=C. |last2=Burn |first2=D. |last3=Yoosuf |first3=R. |last4=Najeeb |first4=A. |last5=Anderson |first5=K. D. |last6=Pratchett |first6=M. S. |volume=6 |page=34720 |pmid=27694823 |pmc=5046149 |bibcode=2016NatSR...634720P |archive-date=21 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121004942/https://www.nature.com/articles/srep34720.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Mangroves thrive in brackish or muddy regions of the Maldives. The archipelago hosts fourteen species spanning ten genera, among which is the fern Acrostichum aureum, indigenous to these islands.<ref name="Hingun-2015">{{cite report |url=https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-05-en.pdf |title=Fifth National Report of Maldives to the Convention on Biological Diversity |last=Hingun |first=Handuvaree |publisher=Ministry of Environment and Energy |page=24 |isbn=978-99915-59-11-7 |access-date=2018-10-13 |year=2015 |place=Maldives |archive-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206151108/https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-05-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The waters surrounding the Maldives boast an extensive array of marine life, showcasing a vibrant tapestry of corals and over 2,000 species of fish.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 December 2023 |title=Discovering the Maldives Underwater Marine Life |url=https://www.mymaldives.com/maldives/marine-life/ |access-date=18 May 2024 |website=My Maldives |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225150457/https://www.mymaldives.com/maldives/marine-life/ |url-status=live }}</ref> From the dazzling hues of reef fish to the majestic presence of the [[blacktip reef shark]], [[moray eels]], and a diverse range of rays including [[manta rays]], [[stingrays]], and [[eagle rays]], the seas teem with life. Notably, the Maldivian waters harbor the magnificent [[whale shark]]. Renowned for its biodiversity, these waters host rare species of both biological and commercial significance, with [[tuna fisheries]] representing a longstanding traditional resource. Within the limited freshwater habitats such as ponds and marshes, freshwater fish such as the [[milkfish]] ([[Milkfish|Chanos chanos]]) and various smaller species thrive. Additionally, the introduction of the tilapia or mouth-breeder, facilitated by a [[United Nations]] agency in the 1970s, further enriches the aquatic diversity of the Maldives.
[[File:Maldives 00246.JPG|thumb|right|''[[Butorides striata]]'' in the Maldives]]
Due to their diminutive size, land-dwelling reptiles are scarce on the Maldivian islands. Among the limited terrestrial reptilian inhabitants are a species of gecko and the oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor), alongside the white-spotted supple skink (Riopa albopunctata), the Indian wolf snake ([[Lycodon aulicus]]), and the Brahmin blind snake ([[Ramphotyphlops braminus]]).

In the surrounding seas, however, a more diverse array of reptilian life thrives. Maldivian beaches serve as nesting grounds for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill [[sea turtle]], and the leatherback sea turtle. Furthermore, saltwater [[crocodiles]] have been reported to occasionally reach the islands, taking residence in marshy regions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howard |first1=Jake |title=Crocs In Paradise! (aka The Maldives) |url=https://stabmag.com/news/crocs-in-paradise-aka-the-maldives |access-date=8 March 2016 |agency=Stab |date=8 March 2016 |archive-date=29 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529080418/http://stabmag.com/news/crocs-in-paradise-aka-the-maldives/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The location of this Indian Ocean archipelago means that its avifauna is mainly restricted to [[pelagic bird]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wildlife of Maldives |url=https://www.maladweep.com/wildlife-of-maldives.html |access-date=18 May 2024 |website=Maladweep |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816160145/https://www.maladweep.com/wildlife-of-maldives.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the species are Eurasian migratory birds, only a few being typically associated with the Indian sub-continent. Some, like the [[frigatebird]], are seasonal. Some birds dwell in marshes and island bush, like the [[grey heron]] and the [[moorhen]]. [[White terns]] are found occasionally on the southern islands due to their rich habitats.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Phillips |first=W.W.A. |year=1963 |title=The birds of the Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean |journal=[[Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society]] |volume=60 |pages=546–584}}</ref>