Indian Ocean Holidays Blog

The Lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor, the venom is delivered via an array of up to 18 needle-like dorsal fins but is purely defensive. The sting from a Lionfish is extremely painful but very rarely fatal to humans. Lionfish are voracious predators, when hunting they corner prey using their large fins and then use their quick reflexes to swallow the prey whole.

Mantas are filter feeders, they feed on plankton & fish larvae and this has allowed them to grow larger that other ray species to approximately 25ft across and weighing around 2,300kg. Mantas are extremely curious around humans and are fond of swimming with scuba divers. They have the largest brain to body ratio of all the shark and rays. The predators of the manta ray are mainly large sharks, however orcas have also been observed preying on them.

Believed to have originated 60 million years ago, the whale shark is a slow moving filter feeding shark, it’s the largest living fish species and can grow up to 40ft in length and weighing up to 13.6 tonnes. Found in tropical, warm oceans, the whale shark can live for about 70years. Despite its enormous size, they are actually quite gentle and can be playful with divers. The only risk to divers and snorkelers is unintentionally being struck by the shark’s large tail fin.

Moray Eels are carnivorous and even feed on other morays. They have large teeth designed to tear flesh as opposed to holding or chewing. They have a second set of jaws in their throat which also possess teeth. Morays are commonly seen with their heads poking out of a coral reef. Known as a ‘Sea Monster’ the moray eel actually only attacks if it feels threatened.

Triggerfish can range in size from 8inches to 3ft long. Their small eyes, situated on top of their large head, can be rotated independently. They have tough skin covered with rough scales that form a tough armour on their body. The Titan Triggerfish can be quite aggressive during reproduction season and viciously defend their circular nests against intruders including scuba divers and snorkelers. They will aggressively attack anything or anyone who comes to disturb its eggs, the titan triggerfish can cause serious injury.

The Dragon Moray Eel is highly predatory and one of the fiercest in the ocean, with its sharp teeth and intimidating face, it’s dangerous to fish as well as humans. They can grow up to 36” long. The dragon moray eel is characterized by its narrow curved jaws, vivid red stripes on the head and elongated tubular nostrils.

The Bull Shark is well known for its unpredictable, often aggressive behaviour. Many scientists agree that since bull sharks often dwell in shallow waters, they may be more dangerous to humans than any other species of shark. Bull sharks are large and stout, males can reach over 6ft and weigh 200lb whereas females can be much larger, up to 13ft long and weighing 700lb. They have the ability to suddenly burst into speed and be highly aggressive.

This unusual shark is a master of camouflage, it hosts an amazing mottled pattern which enables it to virtually disappear against the sand and algae-covered ocean floor. Reaching a maximum length of 3.2m, it has a flat body and head. The mouth has a protruding jaw that aids in the capture of prey. The spotted wobbegong, like other wobbegong species, has nasal barbels and hanging tassels on and around the head and body. Usually found in shallow waters, commonly around coral and rocky reefs. They feed at night on octopuses, lobster and sea bass. They are relatively harmless but will bite if disturbed by humans.

Found in the shallow waters near coral reefs, this amazing Zebra Shark has a beautiful pattern unlike any other. Relatively harmless to humans, they will usually remain still for extended periods even when touched. Zebra Sharks are nocturnal and spend most of the day motionless on the sea floor. By night the zebra shark feeds primarily on molluscs, crustaceans and occasionally small bony fish. With the exception of some other large sharks, few predators could tackle an adult zebra shark.

There are currently nine known species of Hammerhead Shark which range from 3ft to 20ft long. Of the nine species of hammerheads, three can be dangerous to humans; the scalloped, the great and the smooth hammerheads. All the species have a projection on each side of the head which gives it a resemblance to a flattened hammer. The eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions. Hammerheads have small mouths and seem to do a lot of bottom-hunting. Known to form schools during the day forming groups of over 100, by night they hunt alone.