Underwater Tapestry: The Magical Colours and Variety of India’s Marine Life

Despite India’s long coastline, and the two tropical archipelagos—Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar—that make up its territory, water sports like snorkelling and diving are not very common in the country. As a result, few people have seen firsthand the wondrous biodiversity of India’s marine life. The waters of the Arabian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean teem with colourful coral, and hundreds of species, including fish, turtles, eels, slugs, rays, sharks and more. This diversity, especially of the sensitive coral, has been threatened in recent years by the increasing temperature of our waters and warm currents that have bleached all their colour. Overfishing and the throwing out of rejected catch have also skewed the balance in our seas. Yet as more people dive into the oceans and discover the wealth they contain, they learn the value of preserving and fighting for their beautiful diversity. Until you plan your own dive, here’s glimpse of this diversity.