Giant Moray

Photo: lucasdif · CC BY-NC

Giant morays reaching 2.5 metres occupy the largest coral head cavities throughout the garden, their constant mouth-gaping (a respiratory function, not aggression) giving them an intimidating presence that belies their general indifference to bubble-blowing divers. They hunt cooperatively with roving coral groupers in one of the few documented interspecies hunting partnerships in reef fish ecology: the grouper signals moray resting sites when prey hides in crevices the grouper cannot enter. Morays at the protected Eilat reserve show far less wariness toward divers than at fished sites, making close observation of natural behaviour possible.