Cold Water
Wolf Eel
Anarrhichthys ocellatus · Bony fish — family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes); an elongated wolffish, not a true eel
Wolf-eels are the gargoyles of the Pacific Northwest — huge gray heads, swollen jowls, teeth like broken crockery — and among its gentlest residents. Not true eels but elongated wolffishes, they pair long-term and share a den, sometimes two faces stacked in one crevice watching the water column go by. The crushing dentition is for urchins, crabs, and clams; divers get curiosity instead, and pairs at well-known dens will ease halfway out to inspect visitors. Juveniles look like a different species, burnt orange with a purple sheen, swimming open water before settling into rock. The old practice of hand-feeding urchins to resident pairs has faded for good reason — fed animals lose caution, and teeth meet fingers by accident. Come in low and off to one side, and let a swimming wolf-eel pass; it is likely commuting between dens.
Где и когда увидеть
«Постоянные» — значит, большинство погружений в этом месте позволяет встретить их; «сезонные» — значит, они стабильно присутствуют в указанные месяцы; всё остальное — приятный бонус, а не повод строить планы.
| Направление | Достоверность | Месяцы | Примечания |
|---|---|---|---|
| British ColumbiaCanada | Resident — seen on most dives | Круглый год |
Лучший месяц — коротко
| Месяц | Надёжные направления |
|---|---|
| January | British Columbia |
| February | British Columbia |
| March | British Columbia |
| April | British Columbia |
| May | British Columbia |
| June | British Columbia |
| July | British Columbia |
| August | British Columbia |
| September | British Columbia |
| October | British Columbia |
| November | British Columbia |
| December | British Columbia |
Как их понять
Среда обитания: Rocky reef dens, wrecks, and boulder jumbles; established pairs keep the same crevice for years, at depths divers visit and far below.
Ареал: North Pacific — from southern California through British Columbia and Alaska to the Sea of Japan.
Поведение: Pairs share a den long-term, often with both heads visible at the entrance; juveniles are orange with a purple sheen and swim open water before settling. Resident pairs grow tolerant of familiar divers.
Рацион питания: Sea urchins, crabs, clams, and snails crushed with heavy molar-like teeth and powerful jaws.
Размер: как правило, около 1.8 m; задокументировано до 2.4 m (total length).
Как вести себя рядом с ним
Approach a den low and slightly to one side, skip the old urchin hand-feeding routine entirely, and give a free-swimming animal the lane — it is commuting, not fleeing.
Охрана природы
Not a fishery target and not considered broadly threatened; den fidelity makes known pairs locally precious and easy to disturb.
Известные места на карте
Смотреть
Из официальных источников
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Видео — это встроенные ссылки на каналы их авторов: мы ничего не размещаем у себя и указываем все источники.