European barracuda and bluefish circling a bait ball of Atlantic horse mackerel off the shore of the Formigas Islets, Azores
© Jordi Chias/Minden Pictures
European barracuda and bluefish circling a bait ball of Atlantic horse mackerel off the shore of the Formigas Islets, Azores
This school of Atlantic horse mackerel is forming a bait ball. When surrounded by predators, such as the barracuda and bluefish seen here, the school will gather close together to expose the least number of individual fish. In the open ocean, without hiding places among kelp, coral or coastal rocks, the bait ball will protect most of the smaller fish. Is this where the idea of ‘safety in numbers’ originates?
Related Images
Mount Burgess and Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
Grove of redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Indian Head Cove, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario, Canada
Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States
Yellow warbler in Canada
Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Kachina Bridge, Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
Today on Bing
Plumeria flowers, Hawaii, United States
May 01, 2025
Hawaiian lei flower garlands
May 01, 2024
Quebec Bridge, Saint Lawrence River, Canada
May 01, 2023
VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, Canada
May 01, 2022
