Witnessing a line of freshwater fish orderly crossing a dry ditch has left many people astonished. The clip was recorded on September 27 in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China.
Recent heavy rains are believed to be the reason behind this unusual migration. The fish likely jumped ashore from the nearby Meilan River.
Local residents were incredibly surprised to see these fish moving in an orderly line, bravely navigating the terrain and seemingly unaffected by the lack of water for several hours.
One witness commented: “It’s as if they are migrating. The vitality of these fish is astonishing; they do not die even after being out of water for several hours.”
This species of fish possesses strong pectoral fins.
This special fish species has been identified as the mudskipper, known for inhabiting areas like ponds and canals, feeding on very small aquatic creatures, including fish and shrimp. Mudskippers are equipped with highly developed gills, allowing them to breathe air and survive for extended periods outside of water. The record for the longest time a mudskipper has survived on land is six days.
This species also has powerful pectoral fins, which help them overcome obstacles, inclines, and migrate to new underwater habitats by maneuvering their gill covers, pectoral fins, and flipping their bodies.
Most fish are afraid to leave the water as they can quickly die under such conditions. However, mudskippers are a clear exception. They often voluntarily jump ashore and traverse land, a strategic move to find more favorable environments for survival.
