The effects of climate change will undeniably affect places like the Maldives where rising sea levels and coral bleaching will irreversibly alter its natural beauty. As part of its commitment to protecting the environment around its resorts, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort (InterContinental Maldives) has partnered with environmental preservation groups to develop a program that would allow its guests to fully immerse themselves in the world of marine conservation.
Located in Raa Atoll near Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, InterContinental Maldives is one of the most unparalleled locations in the Maldives to discover marine life.
Guests will be able to participate in a range of hands-on activities such as tracking mantas, replanting coral, and attending evening talks that will raise their level of understanding and appreciation for the delicate eco-systems.
This is all thanks in part to InterContinental Maldives’ two integrated partnerships with the Manta Trust and Ocean Group, and employed the skills of dedicated Marine Biologist, Maria Andersen.
As well as engaging daily snorkel excursions with the mantas, the Manta Trust-led programme, “Adopt a Manta†allows guests of InterContinental Maldives to name new mantas and track them as they migrate around the Maldives. 100% of the funds generated by the “Adopt a Manta†programme go directly to the Manta Trust, which funds a holistic approach to protecting manta rays.
InterContinental Maldives said it is also working with Ocean Group, who, along with Andersen and her team, are committed to restoring and protecting the resort’s vibrant reefs through a coral nurseries program. They will use their skills to target specific species of coral to rehabilitate and restore the surrounding reefs after the bleaching in 2016 devastated branching coral in shallow reefs, as well as
promoting the diversity of corals by targeting other species that have also been impacted by the bleaching mortalities.
Guests can once again play the part of marine conservationists, by planting the corals and tracking their growth once they have left.
Not limited to mantas and coral, Maria and her team will also be able to share insights on turtles, dolphins, sharks and other marine inhabitants who dwell within the Indian Ocean idyll. Complementing the daytime activities and enriching the guest experience, will be a series of evening presentations about various marine conservation topics.
InterContinental Maldives hopes that the conversation efforts will help preserve delicate and complex marine ecosystems of the Maldives for future generations to come.
