Andaman Sea

The Andaman Sea ecoregion is biologically rich in both diversity and abundance.

This high biodiversity is encountered from genes to individuals to species, habitats, and ecosystems.

The coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, marine lakes and deep sea valleys of the region form a constellation of diverse habitats that support a spectacular variety of flora and fauna. Much of this remains to be investigated or fully documented.

The coral jewel of Thailand's coastline
Thailand's most extensive, pristine, and best-developed reefs occur in the Andaman Sea, particularly in the Surin Islands.

Although the Andaman Sea composes only one third of Thailand's coastline, over half of the country's coral reefs are found in these waters. Surveys here have recorded 210 species of coral, and over 100 species of reef fish.

Further south in Malaysia, a number of islands are important for coral reef development, while mangroves are more common on the mainland coast.

Species
Many of the Andaman Sea ecoregion islands, as well as certain stretches of coastline, are important nesting areas for a variety of sea-turtles, all of them endangered or threatened. These include the leatherback, hawksbill, Olive Ridley and green turtles. Some of these nesting sites are of global importance.

The Nicobar Islands have more nesting leatherback turtles than any other site in the northern Indian Ocean.

Dugongs have also been recorded throughout the region, and the Irrawaddy dolphin swims the Thai and Malaysian waters. Whale sharks, coconut crabs, various dolphins, and blue and sperm whales are some of the other marine animals that form this rich diversity of fauna.