Ian Haggerty managed to film a huge Javanese moray eel on a hunting expedition in the waters off Mauritius.
Seeing a Javanese moray out in the open is fairly uncommon for divers. Divers will often see these eels with their heads sticking out of reef crevices, but encountering a large adult swimming openly or actively hunting is much less common.
This makes Ian’s sighting all the more rare.
Up close and personal with a Javanese moray eel
Ian described his experience for Latest Sightings: “While diving on a sandy reef, I was following a massive Javanese moray eel as it hunted calmly across the seabed.”
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A species worth commending
The Javanese moray is the largest species of moray eel in the world. Adults can grow to nearly three metres in length and weigh more than thirty kilograms. Their muscular bodies are covered with a mottled pattern of brown, yellow, and black markings that blend remarkably well with coral reefs and rocky crevices.
This camouflage allows them to remain hidden from both prey and potential threats. Although they appear intimidating, giant morays are generally shy creatures which spend much of the day concealed within reef structures, with only their heads protruding from a hole or cave.
This one, however, was out on a mission. It moved with determination through the waters, its body moving with force through the water as it sought food.
Ian followed closely on its tail, witnessing close-up the majesty of the giant creature and the beauty of Mauritius’ underwater life.
Watch the video now:
A pursuit of patience
Filming a giant moray in the wild requires patience, experience, and a deep understanding of marine behaviour.
Ian is known for documenting unusual underwater encounters around Mauritius and has captured numerous remarkable marine scenes, including moray eels and other reef inhabitants.
Hungry eel spots another eel
For Ian, things got really interesting when the eel spotted another eel, as it glided through the water. “Suddenly, it locked onto another eel hiding deep inside a hollow beneath a small reef outcrop,” he explained.
He said that instead of charging straight in after the other eel, the moray did “something incredible.”
“It (the eel) positioned itself and used its tail to block one end of the hole, effectively trapping its prey. Then, with controlled movements, it forced the hidden eel to retreat backwards toward the only exit.”
Eel strikes out, without success
The moment enough of the second eel’s body was exposed, the Javanese moray struck out and grabbed it. It was an awe-inspiring moment; something like when a leopard finally emerges from the thicket in ambush, after you have watched it stalk, body against the ground, through the long grass towards its prey.
It’s hard not to be impressed when you witness the inherent stealth and intelligence of nature’s finest predators. This include when the ‘kill’ happens underwater.
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What followed was a violent struggle as the trapped eel fought desperately to escape. Against the odds, the other eel managed to break free, however, not without losing a large chunk of its tail in the process.
Ian said of the sighting: “A brutal but fascinating glimpse into the intelligence and hunting strategy of one of the ocean’s most formidable predators.”