Isolation, distancing from each other — today these are not just words, this is everyday life. We are sure that this will change one day, but for now, let’s recall a few of our favourite marine creatures with whom it is better to keep your distance.
Great hammerhead shark
Great hammerhead sharks are a solitary species of sharks that constantly migrate long distances (over 800 miles) alone. There are several places where a diver can see them, and one of them is Bimini in the Bahamas. You will have to descend to a depth of 8 metres into crystal clear waters, which means you can watch these monsters (which can reach 20 feet) the whole time the sun is shining. If you want to stay with the sharks longer, stock up on a diving torch.
On the other hand, these same scalloped hammerheads can gather in very large schools consisting of hundreds of adults. Scientists still do not know why they do this at certain times of the year (at other times they observe ‘social distancing’), but if you are lucky enough to witness one of these ‘gatherings’, it will be a truly magical experience. Places to see schools of hammerhead sharks include the Galapagos Islands, Socorro (Mexico), and Cocos Island (Costa Rica).
Manta and mobula rays
The oceanic manta ray is the largest ray and one of the largest fish in the world. They reach widths of up to 29 feet and are generally solitary, although they do sometimes gather together to feed and mate.
Mobula rays inhabit open waters, feeding on plankton and other microorganisms. They are known to form huge schools — sometimes over 10,000 individuals (yes, that is not a typo). If you want to see this wonder, dive into the waters off the coast of Mexico in Baja California (from mid-November to January) and the Sea of Cortez (from mid-April to early July). Mobulas are known for their ‘acrobatic stunts’: they can regularly be seen leaping out of the water.
Blue whales and bottlenose dolphins
The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth. The maximum weight recorded is 190 tonnes. Except for females with young calves, blue whales are solitary creatures that only occasionally gather in groups to feed. They inhabit both polar and tropical waters around the world, migrating between them at different times of the year. You can see them off the coast of Sri Lanka from November to April. If you are serious about seeing a whale, then buy a diving torch: you will most likely have to spend not only the whole day on this, but also the evening and night.
At the other end of the cetacean scale are bottlenose dolphins — highly social animals. They often travel in pods consisting of 5–20 dolphins, typically females and their calves, although they sometimes gather in groups (with males) of 1,000 or more individuals. They frequently hunt together and learn different techniques for catching food from one another (for example, using sponges to dig out buried prey), which is a fascinating example of cultural transmission. One of the best dive sites to see these dolphins is Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa, French Polynesia. There is even a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins that regularly comes to visit divers, three of whom are known for being particularly interactive.
Boxer shrimps, and against them pistol shrimps and gobies
Boxer shrimps are known for their attacking ‘punch’ — the strongest in the animal kingdom compared to the creature’s weight — which disables prey and acts as a pretty effective method of social distancing. They can develop highly complex social behavior to defend their space from rivals and avoid getting hit by them. For a diver, seeing this type of shrimp is an incredible stroke of luck.
Meanwhile, pistol shrimps — are avid fans of schools; they constantly look after coral reefs and mangroves and create new burrows. They enjoy a symbiotic relationship with gobies, which gladly share their burrows. Pistol shrimps have very poor eyesight and therefore cannot see predators in time, so the goby fish stands guard outside the burrow, watching for potential threats while the shrimp continues to dig. Due to their poor eyesight, shrimps touch the gobies with their antennae to communicate. This pair can be found in the Indo-Pacific region.