(haipo) While millions of Israelis were huddled in shelters under the threat of missiles and the war against Iran and Hezbollah, a completely different reality was taking place beneath the surface of the water. A world of courtship, territorial battles, aggressive protection of offspring, and ancient love games that never stop for a moment, not even in times of war. As a marine wildlife photographer, I found myself in recent weeks documenting rare and fascinating behaviors of marine animals, precisely at a time when the sea was almost completely empty of people and boats. The relative calm imposed on the beaches allowed nature to erupt in full force.

Unusual breeding season in the sea and freshwater

The past year has been crazy in almost every way possible, including in terms of weather. The changes in temperature and seasons have directly affected the reproductive patterns of many animals, causing the courtship and laying seasons to extend far beyond what is expected.

Reproduction in nature is a routine matter, but documenting it up close, especially in the underwater world, is a complex task, requiring countless hours of observation, patience, and sometimes quite a bit of risk.

When the war stopped humans — the animals celebrated

The bloody war with Iran and Hezbollah has trapped millions of Israelis in their homes and near their shelters. The sea, usually packed with boats, jet skis, divers, and bathers, has suddenly become much quieter.

It was precisely in this silence that the marine animals began to behave with an almost rare freedom. Less engine noise, less human traffic, and less disturbance allowed me to witness extraordinary moments of courtship, nest guarding, and battles between rival males.

Parents to Death: Nature's Strongest Instinct

Parental feelings exist in most animals. Some species will protect their offspring to the last drop of strength and sometimes to the very death.

In octopuses, for example, the female remains next to the egg for weeks. She constantly aerates them to provide oxygen to the embryos, and during this period she hardly eats at all. In many cases, she dies of exhaustion immediately after the offspring hatch.

In the world of fish, there are also particularly impressive parenting displays. This time I focused on freshwater fish, and especially on pangasius, which are particularly aggressive land-dwellers.

The fish that attack humans to protect the next generation

Some of the species I documented are actually invasive species that came from Africa and America, and have become significant predators in local waterways.

During the breeding season, they become very territorial. The fish are fiercely protective of their spawning grounds and tiny offspring, and do not hesitate to attack anyone who approaches, including humans.

Before the attack, underwater warning clicks can sometimes be heard, a kind of clear message to the intruder: “Stay away from here.”

Courtship and reproduction ► View

Even squids know how to threaten.

One of the most unusual experiences I had was off Castle Reef, where I encountered a male squid during the spring courtship period.

His behavior was extremely aggressive. He warned, changed colors quickly, and repeatedly approached me in an attempt to keep me away from his territory, until he finally damaged my wetsuit.

It was another reminder that the breeding season in nature is not only a beautiful spectacle, but also a tense time, full of competition, defensiveness, and aggression.

A vibrant underwater world of research and observation

The breeding season is one of the most fascinating times for nature photography and studying animal behavior. The underwater world becomes a vibrant and lively field of battles between males, courtship games, nest guarding, and aggression toward anyone perceived as a threat.

Behind every photo and video lie long hours of observation, tracking, and waiting for the precise moment when nature truly reveals itself.

And what can we learn from this?

While humans are busy with wars, politics, and crises, nature continues to flourish. The cycle of life does not stop. Animals continue to fight, love, reproduce, and protect the next generation.

And perhaps this is the most important reminder for us.

Remember:

During the breeding season, it is forbidden to approach animals, neither on land nor at sea.
Respect nature, preserve it, and let it continue to exist even away from the human eye.