• picture
  • picture
  • picture
  • picture
Public Radio's Environmental News Magazine (follow us on Google News)

Field Note: Fish Dinner

Published: February 6, 2018


By Mark Seth Lender


Wahoo are similar to Barracuda, but bigger. (Photo: Aquaimages, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.5)

Living on Earth Resident Explorer Mark Seth Lender shares a brief field note on his story from the Sea of Cortez, "Fish Dinner."

The swimming pattern exhibited by these three fish is the product of a cooperative hunting strategy. They formed up tightly when traveling, but spread out so that they effectively occupied - and controlled – all the space around me when they circled to look me over (this on both occasions). In other words, they had the wit to stay close to each other when searching, presenting a smaller and less visible target. But having found something of interest (me) they distributed themselves in such a ways as to close off all escape.

The wildlife is smarter than we think. Fish included.

I should add I’ve never had barracuda do this. They stay in formation, and watch. They want you to stay away, that’s all. I’ve never been afraid of them. The wahoo, whom we think of as nothing more than large mackerel, well, if they ever get bigger or we get smaller, it might a different story.

Back to Mark Seth Lender Field Notes


 

Living on Earth wants to hear from you!

Living on Earth
62 Calef Highway, Suite 212
Lee, NH 03861
Telephone: 617-287-4121
E-mail: comments@loe.org

Newsletter [Click here]

Donate to Living on Earth!
Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice.

Newsletter
Living on Earth offers a weekly delivery of the show's rundown to your mailbox. Sign up for our newsletter today!

Sailors For The Sea: Be the change you want to sea.

The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment: Committed to protecting and improving the health of the global environment.

Contribute to Living on Earth and receive, as our gift to you, an archival print of one of Mark Seth Lender's extraordinary wildlife photographs. Follow the link to see Mark's current collection of photographs.

Buy a signed copy of Mark Seth Lender's book Smeagull the Seagull & support Living on Earth