Fiji Wildlife – What to Expect to See on your Trip to Fiji

The wildlife in Fiji is extraordinary.

During project life, our volunteers often get unique encounters with some of nature’s most beautiful species. Although our projects focus on sports, education and community development, simply living in a Fijian village for a 1 or 2 months, gives you an amazing chance to get close and personal with these wonderful animals.

So, what kind of wildlife and animals are you likely to see in Fiji?

Ocean Wildlife in Fiji

Fiji is made up of over 330 islands and islets. This means the Fiji Islands is largely made up of water. This lends itself perfectly to host some amazing tropical fish and underwater wildlife.

Turtles

Fiji is home to 5 different species of turtle, including: Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Green, Pacific Ridley, and Leatherback.

Depending on where you are in Fiji and what time of the year you go, you may be more likely to see a particular species. Turtle conservation is becoming increasingly embraced in Fiji and the “Vonu” (Fijian for turtle) is celebrated all around the country. Some of these species lay eggs on the beaches from November through to March, so make sure you don’t miss out. Turtles are very sensitive animals though, so any visitors to Fiji should keep a distance with turtles and any other animals they encounter.

Sharks

Sharks are often seen as a good representation of a healthy reef, so their presence in Fiji is a great sign. As well as shark dives, whereby you can see and witness shark feeding frenzies, the coral reefs in Fiji hosts lots of smaller reef sharks.

The Fiji waters include species such as the White Tip Reef Shark, Grey Reef, Sicklefin Lemon, Silvertips, Bull and Tiger Shark. In certain areas, you’re also likely to see hammerhead sharks in their native environment.

If you’re interested in diving with sharks or going to reefs associated with a certain species, then get in touch with our friendly team today, who can help guide you in the right direction. Many of our volunteers squeeze in diving or snorkelling in these locations either before or after their volunteering progam to Fiji.

Whales and Dolphins

There are plenty of species of whale and dolphin around Fiji. Dolphins in particular can be very social animals so if you’re in the right place, at the right time, you may find yourself in a surreal moment where you’re swimming/in a boat, alongside them.

Whales will often give birth inside the reef, so during these times are when you may even be able to see whales from the shore.

Humpback whales can often be sighted in Lomaitviti and the outer islands.

Tropical Fish

With over 1,200 different tropical fish in Fiji, if you jump in the sea, you’re pretty much guaranteed to see some type of fish. The coral reefs are the best place for spotting tropical fish. This is a fantastic way to see wildlife in its own habitat.

The coral reefs themselves can also be remarkable too. Some of the world’s best dive sites and snorkelling lie in Fiji and this is largely due to incredible reefs that offer amazing habitats for wildlife as well as hosting some of the most unique and biodiverse corals too.

As well as huge schools of fish, there’s also species like Rays (Manta Rays and Sting Rays), Sword Fish and Sea Snakes that also call Fiji home.

Land Wildlife and Birds

Although the ocean life often steals the show in what people want to see, Fiji’s birdlife and land animals are not to be missed either.

There are 27 bird species unique to Fiji, as well as a host of other bird species, so get your binoculars and bird guide ready, and tick off any sightings of these rare birds.

There’s plenty of colourful tropical birds, as well as sea birds too. You’re also likely to see some fruit bats at night, particularly in the remote areas.

Apart of dogs and other pets, you’ll be lucky to find many mammals in Fiji. Due to the island formation of the country, land based animals haven’t had the opportunity to become too established.

Volunteer in Fiji

If you’d like to see and experience the wildlife in Fiji, what better way to do it than during a volunteer project! Forget zoos and staged environments, this way you get to see them in the wild, as part of your daily routine.

We pack a lot into our projects, and seeing local wildlife is often something we forget to tell people. Many of our volunteers leave with unforgettable memories, including those in real Fijian villages, surrounded by real Fijian wildlife.

Get in touch today to learn more about Think Pacific.