Kelaa Mangrove

Kelaa’s mangrove wetland spans 26 hectares—about 11% of the island—making it one of the largest and most vital mangrove systems in the northern Maldives. This unique ecosystem supports a variety of mangrove species, including Kan’doo (Bruguiera cylindrica), Bodavaki (B. gymnorrhiza), Burevi, Randoo, and Kulhlhava, along with a striking 50-year-old mangrove apple tree. The area is rich in birdlife, hosting species like grey herons, cattle egrets, black-crowned night herons, and the Maldivian water hen. During World War II, locals relied on the forest for food, harvesting Kan’doo fruit, and used mangrove timber for building boat hulls and push-poles. In 2020, the discovery of four critically endangered Bruguiera hainesii trees—locally called “Kelavaki”—brought national attention to its biodiversity. Now a protected area, Kelaa’s mangrove is the focus of conservation and mapping efforts, reinforcing its importance as both a cultural heritage site and an ecological sanctuary in the Maldives.