Images of the fish that uses its pectoral fins to walk along the ocean floor have been captured by French photographer Nicolas Remy.
The photograph of the walking fish taken by French photographer Nicolas Remy has won the underwater category in the 2022 Ocean Art Competition, reported CNN on February 20.
Image of the walking fish. (Photo: Nicolas Remy).
The photo was taken in the Derwent River area, off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. Photographer Remy captured a close-up moment of the walking fish using its pectoral fins, resembling hands, as it moved along the ocean floor.
Remy expressed hope that the photographs will draw public attention to this little-known and threatened species.
With its cream-colored skin adorned with numerous brown and orange spots, blending in with the sandy ocean floor, this fish is incredibly hard to spot. As a result, capturing images is even more challenging. It is estimated that only about 3,000 individuals of this walking fish remain in the wild.
“Poor dispersal ability, small population size, and low reproductive rates make this species vulnerable when their habitat is disturbed,” stated Jemina Stuart Smith, president of the Australian Walking Fish Recovery Agency.
Smith noted that environmental pollution and urbanization are major threats to the survival of the walking fish. Furthermore, their method of movement—walking instead of swimming like other fish—makes it difficult for them to utilize ocean currents to migrate to other waters in the event their current habitat becomes polluted.
