Summer in Bat Galim Reef • The invaders and the locals

It is the end of August 2024 and we are experiencing 31 degrees in the sea, it's crazy! Recently, some cooler currents have started at times. What fun it will be when the water cools down a bit and the visibility returns.

The months of July-August at sea are usually months with "milky" visibility and here and there rare days of good visibility, this is in contrast to the month of September which is characterized by days with amazing visibility. However, this month too I had encounters with various marine creatures that I had not met before Many of them invade the Red Sea, beautiful creatures.

Meet the intruders I met in the last few months:

Sea hare - sea daisy

The rabbit is a vegetarian mollusk that feeds on algae. On his head are four tentacles, with the upper ones resembling rabbit ears - and that's where the family got its name. It has gills covered by a cloak that hides them. It is mottled brown in color and the body length is up to 40 cm. It is found in a sandy and rocky soil environment. The rabbit is active mainly at night.

This rabbit was the first one I saw here at Bat Galim Reef. I actually thought I was going to collect another bag - so it was a very pleasant surprise.

Sea hare ► Watch

Sea urchin - long-thorned nazrit

I remember when I was a child, there were local hedgehogs here. Over time they disappeared completely and the neighbors arrived.
The long-spined sea urchin is a Red Sea invader, characterized by a skeleton with pentameric (pentagonal) symmetry. Its spines are used for protection, they are black or oval in color and about 25 cm long. It feeds on algae and is found in a rocky environment.

This is an invader that was very common in the Red Sea and today is almost extinct.

sea ​​urchin ► Watch

Venomous mustache (Nasrallah)

The poisonous mustache known as "Nasrallah" has stripes along the body. Like many invasive species, the moustache, too, migrated from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. In the video we see young individuals swimming, often in cohesive flocks of up to hundreds of individuals that appear as a dark ball in the water in shallow, rocky and sandy areas. The adults swim alone or in small groups.

The poisonous whisker has a sharp thorn in the front of the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins, through which a dangerous venom passes that can cause severe pain, bleeding and even loss of consciousness.

Venomous mustache ► Watch

Point bell - jellyfish

This is the last and special jellyfish I saw this summer, after all the jellyfish I told about in the previous article. She is beautiful, and her name is bell dot (formerly phylloriza dot). A very special jellyfish with a slight sting. It is an invasive species from the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal to the Atlantic Ocean via the ships passing through the canal.

bell dot ► Watch

The haharon fish

The haharon fish is a predatory fish of the Akrabanoni family, known for its large and spectacular fins and its red-white striped patterns. It can cause severe pain and even life-threatening in some cases, if you touch the poisonous spines on its fins. He also invades the Red Sea.

Zaharon ► Watch

So far I've written about invaders I've met and here are some native creatures I've met this summer.

Mediterranean Nazran

When I was swimming as usual, I caught a glimpse of a fish that I don't really know. I managed to take a video of it and then a really good photo of this beauty.

His name is a Mediterranean Nazran. Its body is rhombus-shaped, its mouth has fleshy lips that cannot be missed, it has a large and prominent spine at the front of its dorsal fin. It lacks a ventral fin. Lives near the rocky ground at a depth of 10 to 100 meters, feeds on crustaceans and molluscs, which it cracks with its teeth, its tail is very large and the horns on both sides are long.
Common on the Mediterranean coast of Israel.

Mediterranean Nazran ► Watch

Mediterranean moraine

Lives in crevices in the rocky environment and can be found at a depth of five meters or more.
I caught her peeping, but you can also see her swimming close to the bottom. Its length can reach one and a half meters.

Moray has a big head, strong jaws and long, sharp teeth.
Its color changes from brown to yellowish or gray, mainly at night it lurks for prey. Feeds on fish and large invertebrates.

Mediterranean moraine ► Watch

Encounters with turtles

There were also encounters with turtles. Recently I met Bertha the brown turtle several times and another brown turtle that I have not yet identified. In Bat Galim there is a large community of brown and green sea turtles, so far we have given names to 30 turtles.
Welcome to meet the friends.

For everyone who reads my article for the first time, then it's very nice, my name is Tal Raz and I've been in love with the sea since I was little, I was born and raised in the magical Bat Galim neighborhood. I document life in Bat Galim Reef and work to promote a marine reserve that will protect all members here.

I lecture to raise awareness about sea conservation, organize sea tours and more.
You can find more information on my website.

Have a quiet weekend and give us good news.