KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of any country

Learn the wildlife of the Maldives

Asia

2,529 species have research-grade observations in the Maldives on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you can learn a country's wildlife from home.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea673
  2. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus445
  3. House Crow Corvus splendens337
  4. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus265
  5. Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana159
  6. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos142
  7. Little Heron Butorides atricapilla136
  8. White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus62
  9. Rock Pigeon Columba livia57
  10. Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii57

Plants

  1. Beach naupaka Scaevola taccada323
  2. Coconut palm Cocos nucifera211
  3. Sea hibiscus Hibiscus tiliaceus187
  4. Tree heliotrope Heliotropium arboreum146
  5. Noni Morinda citrifolia142
  6. Indian banyan Ficus benghalensis132
  7. Beach Morning Glory Ipomoea pes-caprae131
  8. Beach Gardenia Guettarda speciosa121
  9. Tree Crinum Crinum asiaticum116
  10. Bantigue Pemphis acidula115

Mammals

  1. Indian Flying Fox Pteropus medius500
  2. Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris95
  3. Domestic Cat Felis catus94
  4. Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops aduncus36

Insects

  1. Tawny Coster Acraea terpsicore7,494
  2. Plain Tiger Butterfly Danaus chrysippus2,194
  3. Gram Blue Euchrysops cnejus1,033
  4. Lesser Grass Blue Zizina otis803
  5. Indian Palm Bob Suastus gremius547
  6. Painted Lady Vanessa cardui410
  7. Tiny Grass Blue Zizula hylax410
  8. Dingy Lineblue Petrelaea dana314
  9. Dark-branded Bushbrown Mycalesis mineus212
  10. Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina197

Reptiles

  1. Indian Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor1,197
  2. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata573
  3. Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus283
  4. Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas183
  5. Indian Wolf Snake Lycodon aulicus41

Fish

  1. Powder Blue Tang Acanthurus leucosternon662
  2. Oriental Sweetlips Plectorhinchus vittatus601
  3. Blackfin Anemonefish Amphiprion nigripes548
  4. Moorish Idol Zanclus cornutus451
  5. Giant Moray Gymnothorax javanicus427
  6. Peacock Grouper Cephalopholis argus416
  7. Bluefin Trevally Caranx melampygus404
  8. Paletail Unicornfish Naso brevirostris395
  9. Orangestripe Triggerfish Balistapus undulatus391
  10. Titan Triggerfish Balistoides viridescens370

Mollusks

  1. Small Giant Clam Tridacna maxima327
  2. Day Octopus Octopus cyanea217
  3. Varicose Wart Slug Phyllidia varicosa184
  4. Tiger Cowrie Cypraea tigris166
  5. Fluted Giant Clam Tridacna squamosa138
  6. Phyllidia alyta122
  7. Bigfin Reef Squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana89
  8. Giant thorny oyster Spondylus varius86
  9. Moridilla maldivensis77
  10. Velvet Snail Coriocella hibyae76

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.