Flora & Fauna in French Polynesia

Tahitian Gardenia Flowers in French Polynesia

Blessed with a balmy tropical climate and warm sunshine nearly every day of the year, French Polynesia has a stunning array of flora and fauna that is totally unique to the area. Located in between the Tropic of Capricorn and the equator, this island paradise is truly a fantastic vacation destination, with its fragrant, lush and luxurious vegetation and very few natural predators.

From the moment that you step out of the airport, you are greeted with warm sweet perfumes from tropical flowers such as bougainvillea, frangipani, heliconias, porcelain roses, orchid, camellia, poinsettia and hibiscus that can be found all over the place. With a multitude of colors, these flowering plants give French Polynesia the raw magical beauty it is known for, all over the world. And while the vegetation varies from island to island, the larger islands like Tahiti have a much more diversified plant cover.

Aside from the gorgeous flowering plants, French Polynesia is also abound with many beautiful fruit trees like pineapple, cashew, papaya, guava, avocado, lemon, grapefruit, lime, custard apple, tamarind, watermelon and melon. A popular local fruit is Mati, which has red edible berries. However, the best known fruit here has to be Noni, which shares the appearance of a softish potato, and has quite a strong odor.

With regards to the fauna in French Polynesia, it is rather limited, unlike some other countries in the western Pacific. One reason for this is that most of the fauna species here were introduced to the islands by the first Polynesians, when they arrived here in 1500 BC. There are no endemic animal species on land, with goats, pigs, horses, chickens and geckos being among the most visible wildlife here. There are no snakes in French Polynesia and just a few insect species.

Birds are one of the most prevalent fauna species here with 90 different varieties of birds found on the various islands. In Tahiti, a majority of the birds can be seen, with 59 of them being native species. The most common is the white tern or itatae and the Indian mynah bird, which can be spotted sitting among the fruit trees.

The marine life in French Polynesia is very rich with many species of coral, shellfish, shrimp and fish found underwater. From sharks to barracudas, rays and groupers, many varieties of underwater marine life can be spotted in a single dive. Along the reefs, one can also encounter dolphins and sea turtles.

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