Red Sea Wonders Beneath the Waves
People say that beauty is only skin deep. But real beauty often lies beneath the surface—and this doesn’t just apply to people. I discovered this to be true in the case of the Red Sea. The barren coastline gave me no inkling of the incredible beauty awaiting the fortunate swimmer who peers beneath the surface of its waters.
THE Red Sea has a reputation for being one of the most interesting sites in the world for exploring the wonders of the coral reef. So I was keen to see firsthand if its fame was justified.
Once I had seen the underwater world for myself, I wanted to understand it better. Marine biologist Aaron Miroz, an expert on the marine life of the Red Sea, answered my questions.
Why are the waters of the Red Sea so prolific?
“The Red Sea looks and acts like a huge bottleneck, collecting many fish of the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, we have here an extraordinary abundance of corals. On the reef you can often find as many as 20 different species of corals growing on just one square yard of rock. What encourages coral growth is the ideal water temperature, which only varies by a few degrees throughout the year. Furthermore, the low rainfall in the area means that little sediment enters the sea. This, in turn, reduces the amount of pollutants, although I regret to say that during the last 15 years, the situation has worsened.”
What are the problems in safeguarding this marine treasure?
“When dealing with a relatively unspoiled habitat, pollution is the greatest problem. In the Red Sea, contamination comes from three main sources: phosphates, fish farms, and sewage from coastal towns. The popularity of the diving sites can also cause problems. The fragile coral reef can easily be damaged by careless divers.”
You have been studying the coral reef in the Red Sea for many years. What are some of the things you have learned?
“We have discovered that fish have their feeding schedules. Some start feeding at seven o’clock in the morning, feed for three hours, have a break, and then feed for another three hours in the afternoon. Some feed only at night. These schedules are important. If smaller fish were under constant pressure from predators throughout the day, they would be hard-pressed to feed themselves. And fish, like humans, can be fussy eaters. The blue-spotted grouper, for example, has a particular fancy for the fairy basslets, which are very common in the Red Sea. Our fish in the aquarium also have their favorite food—some like tuna, while others prefer sardines.
“You might think that to a fish, all humans look alike, but that is not the case. Fish and even some invertebrates learn to recognize people. I remember an octopus who was once playfully slapped by one of our staff. He didn’t like being slapped, and he never again accepted food from that person. Incidentally, we have found that mild people work best with fish, whereas an aggressive or impatient person makes them nervous.”
What impresses a novice diver is the incredible variety of beauty and color.
“Sure enough, the colorful fish are impressive. But what many do not realize is that some fish use their colors as signals, somewhat like we use traffic lights. For example, when the red grouper is hunting rather than merely keeping watch over his territory, his color turns a darker shade of red. The clown fish, which is preyed upon by the grouper, can tell from the grouper’s color when he is ‘off duty.’ During these safe periods, a clown fish will boldly chase away a grouper who invades his territory.”
No doubt about it, the extraordinary beauty of God’s creation can be discovered in many unlikely places. My life was enriched by exploring just a tiny sample of this beauty. That brief visit to the realm beneath the waves deepened my appreciation for the natural treasures that our planet harbors.—Contributed.
[Picture on page 26]
A lionfish leisurely drifted around, unconcerned about predators. They keep their distance, since his spiny fins pack a poisonous punch
[Picture on page 26]
The clown fish rarely strays far from home, which is among the tentacles of a large anemone. He is immune to the embrace as he helps keep his host clean
[Picture on page 26]
Butterfly fish come in an array of colors. Their waferlike bodies waved to and fro, reminding me of a butterfly
[Picture on page 26]
The Picasso fish, with his gaudy stripes and what looked like bright yellow lipstick, reminded me of the work of an abstract artist
[Picture on page 26]
The emperor angelfish has a multicolored coat that changes color and design while he is growing up