The tigers of Fuvahmulah, Maldives!

Over the last few years, the green island of Fuvahmulah in the Maldives, has become a world-famous pristine destination for close encounters with large tiger sharks.

Local tiger sharks have been spotted close to the island in the deep South of the Maldives archipelago since the first people arrived around a thousand years ago. Locals are not afraid of tiger sharks. On the contrary, they live with them.

Many generations ago, fishermen cleaning fish in the port used to throw the remains into the deep ocean. Over time, to spare boat fuel, they started throwing the remains right outside the port and noticed that the tiger sharks were approaching the port entrance every day to enjoy their meal.

Inhabitants continue this tradition of distributing snacks on the outskirts of the port. Locals invite visitors to meet the sharks, educate them about this sea predator, and show them that humans are not shark food. They also release the hooks from unfortunate sharks caught by some “sport” fishermen whose lines broke.

Tiger sharks are among the few species (about 10 out of 500) considered dangerous to humans. Fuvahmulah sharks are impressive and must be respected; they do not try to hurt humans.

The Operators

Two leading dive operators and three smaller ones operate in Fuvahmulah. I chose to dive with “Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah”, which was amazing. All dive centres share the same tiger dive site and coordinate the various groups’ diving schedules. Three highly trained dive guides accompany each group of divers and are familiar with the sharks’ behaviour. They know how to repel the sharks if necessary and keep divers safe.

Dive guides hide “snacks” under stones to attract the local striped predators. Using “baits” is often criticised. However, since the sharks are accustomed to consuming fishermen’s fish rejects, they are fed the same food they are used to eating. This technique does not disturb their natural life cycle, as sharks do not become dependent on these “snacks”, nor do they become aggressive when they do not get them, as they know how to feed themselves in the ocean. It simply facilitates observation and encourages interaction with the predators so that we can educate ourselves and understand them. Most importantly, it shows that they are not the killers falsely described in popular movies and tabloids. Finally, and as previously stated, this technique enables experts to remove painful items from sharks, such as hooks, ropes, or nets.

Tiger sharks are beautiful creatures that make your dive experience highly moving and unique. Fuvahmulah is one of the only places where sharks can be easily approached and observed. Since birth, many sharks have been in the area and endowed with names. At times, new visitors or new pups join the family. Diving with Fuvahmulah’s tigers is relatively easy and shallow, 10-meter (30 feet) in depth.

Besides the amazing tigers, Fuvahmulah offers other beautiful underwater attractions:

• Reefs are beautiful for complimentary dives.
  
• The thresher shark may be spotted (not during each dive) at the deep cleaning stations, between 40 to 50 meters deep. They must be approached very slowly because they are timid and swim rapidly to the depths.
  
• In the right conditions, you can encounter schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks in the currents.
  
• Whale sharks
  
• Black oceanic manta rays can be spotted around the cleaning stations all year, especially during their mating season, between March and May.
  
• White tip sharks and grey reef sharks can be seen quite often
  
• Depending on the season, you can also see schools of barracudas, yellowfin tunas, sailfish, mola mola, whales, and more.
  
• After the dives, here are also some cool things to do:
  
• The dreamy Thoondu beach is a must. Do not miss it if you are on the island.
  
• Bandara Kilhi and Dhadimago Kilhi are two beautiful freshwater lakes on the island. It is an excellent area for hiking, and you can spot many species of birds and freshwater fish.
  
• There’s a very cool mud place you can enter (preferably not with your favourite swimsuit). It’s supposed to be very healthy for the skin.
  
• You can visit some pre-Islamic historical sites.
  
• There are very cool spots where you can surf or paddle
  
• In the excellent pub “Led Zeppelin”, you can enjoy succulent meals and a pleasant atmosphere.
  
• To move between places, renting a scooter is very convenient.
  

More about Fuvahmulah, Maldives

• The Island is in the deep South of the Maldives, about a 70 minute flight from Male. It also has a domestic airport, which makes it easy to reach. Usually, planes stop on another island on the way, which extends the flight time.
  
• There are 14,000 inhabitants divided into eight different districts, which makes it the second-largest population hub in the Maldives.
  
• Electrical power plugs are UK style.
  
• The island’s economy relies on fishing and agriculture. It is the biggest producer of mango and banana in the country.
  
• The locals speak a dialect unique to the island and distinctive of the official Maldivian Dhivehi language.
  
• Maldivian Rufiyaa is the official currency. US Dollars and Euros are accepted.
  
• Some Hotels in Fuvahmulah
  
• Tiger Shark Residence, a lovely guest house close to nature
  
• Atraxis, a more modern and international hotel
  

Important to know

A video clip I saw while on location shows a scene filmed with a small camera lying on the ground looking like food. The shark caught it to check what it was and then released it, but it didn’t try to harm or bite the humans. We are not their food.

There are a few accidents each year all over the world. They usually occur when sharks do not recognize targets properly; when seeing a surfer or a swimmer from the depths, they look like a shadow.

Like with the camera, the shark can speed up from the deep to catch a wrongly diagnosed prey; they taste it, then reject it. Unfortunately, in some cases, it’s fatal.