You never know what kind of creatures you’ll find roaming the very bottom of the sea. That’s just one of the many reasons why most of us aren’t brave enough to venture that far. But Veronika Kovacova is not one of those people. This Czech diver loves to explore the ocean with her GoPro on hand. During a visit in the waters of Norway, she came across a particularly fascinating creature… a monkfish.
Videos by InspireMore
As Veronika explains in her social media post, monkfish are known for “their ambush hunting strategy.” Seriously, they are shockingly deceptive. But I won’t give away too much before you actually see the monkfish for yourself. So, without further ado, check him out in the video below!
Did it take you a second to find the monkfish? If so, you aren’t the only one! There’s a reason they are oh-so effective at luring in their prey. That part of their body that imitates a small fish is actually something Veronika calls a “modified spine” on their heads.
Diver in Norway Spots a Shockingly Elusive Monkfish at the Bottom of the Sea
“Once the prey gets close,” Veronika explains, “the monkfish uses powerful suction to swallow it whole.”
As unsettling as the monkfish looks, Veronika got an even closer peak, as shown in the video above. Here, we can see how this odd creature gets away with being so hidden. Everything about them was made to blend easily with their surroundings. Needless to say, Veronika was elated by this discovery. In the past, however, spotting one was not cause for celebration.
“In the past, fishermen were apparently convinced that this fish was a bad omen,” she says. “After catching one, they would throw it back into the water, end their day’s fishing, and head straight back to shore.”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
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