There's something fishy about this dolphin...

By MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE

Shoal of sardines adopt a cunning disguise as they swim in the formation of a dolphin


Enormous shoal of sardines adopts remarkable disguise

These cunning sardines have used some imagination to frighten off potential predators.

Grouping together for safety out of instinct, they have adopted the shape of what might pass for a dolphin 80 feet below the surface in Cebu in the Philippines.

The shoal was spotted by photographer Steve De Neef, 29, who captured the remarkable moment.

He said: 'The shoal starts at the surface and goes down to about 30 metres.

'There are sardines as far as you can see and there must be thousands of them. If you get inside the shoal they even block out the light.

'Getting the picture of the dolphin shape was just about being in the right spot at the right time.

'As soon as I took it I noticed how organised the school looked. It is amazing to see the shoal move together but I'd never seen such an unusual shape.

'Fish are known to stick together like this for protection, the shoaling makes it less likely that each individual will be eaten

'It also makes it more likely that they will spot the predators.' Steve, from Negros Oriental, Philippines, added: 'Seeing these sardines perform their ballet is mesmerising.

'When you're inside the shoal everything spins, it's truly incredible the way they move as one big fish.

'Whenever I look at the picture I wonder if they used this particular shape for any reason.

'I'm pretty sure its just a coincidence but it would be to their benefit if they could imitate a larger animal.'


source: dailymail

Incredible swarms of fish form off coast of Acapulco: But was surge caused by tsunami thousands of miles away?

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


A man photographs a shoal of sardines off the shore of Acapulco


The shores of Acapulco's beaches were this weekend teeming with masses of fish packed so tightly they looked like an oil slick from above.

Thousands of sardines, anchovies, stripped bass and mackerel surged along the coast of the Mexican resort in an event believed to be linked to the devastating Japanese tsunami.

Delighted fishermen rushed out in wooden motor boats, abandoning their rods and nets and simply scooping the fish up with buckets.


Fishermen flocked to the water to take advantage of the surge


Some experts believe the phenomenon is directly related to the Japanese tsunami


'There were about 20 or 30 fishermen and there were people who came with their kids to take advantage of it,' Carlos Morales said.

The fishermen attributed the strange phenomenon to the unusual currents unleashed by tsunami that followed the earthquake in Japan.

Experts couldn't be sure.

'It would fall into that category where you would love to make the connection, but who knows?' said Rich Briggs, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

'Tsunamis can change local currents, but it's hard to make a firm connection.'


Fishermen in Acapulco say they have never see such large schools of fish so close to the coast


The fish were so tightly packed they looked like an oil slick from above


Some bathers steered clear of the mysterious event and kept out of the water

source: dailymail