This how a Eel return in a hole!!!

[BoltSnap]

Yeah.... no..... that's not going to happen. I'm a diver and an animal lover. I would think if most people could see what happens behind the camera they would probably become angry about it. I grew up in the middle of nowhere in the Rocky Mountains and there are a LOT of wildlife photographers and videographers there... and not a SINGLE one of them displays this kind of abhorrent disregard for their subjects....... Oh... and several are "award winning"......

In other words, this kind of behaviour is not necessary.

I once watched a course in videography being given in Egypt by a "famous" National Geographic videographer and it was very disheartening. As divers we are taught from the very beginning to respect the wildlife but this instructor.... and his students, who will become instructors themselves in the future.... did not. They were crawling over the reef showing the most appalling display of bad diving I've ever seen from experienced divers. My OW students dive better... a LOT better than this guy.

In addition on one dive I witnessed, they harassed a moray eel with a stick until it fled from them and was swimming free over the reef. They chased after it with their cameras kicking pieces of coral off the reef and stressing the animal to the point that it appeared to me to be fleeing for its life.

As an aside their video was displayed on TV screens at the restaurant at the dive camp and it looked fabulous.... .That's the thing people don't see. People see these amazing clips of animals under water and don't think further about it. My experience is that those clips come at a price. The animals are being harassed and as I said above, I don't like it.

Therefore that's the image is what I see when I look at the video posted above.... an animal being harassed and running for its life. Other people may see a garden eel digging into the sand but in my mind's eye I'm behind the scene and aware of what the diver did to get this shot.... and again.... I don't like it.

BurhanMuntasser, you're telling me to "lighten up" and I'm going to counter to tell you to become more critical. With all due respect, the reason these abuses continue is not because of people like me.... it's because of people like you.

R..

We all over the environment and love to protect marine life but you are being extreme and pretty much show off. I don't see the relevance of what you are saying to this video.

 

[BoltSnap]

BurhanMuntasser, you're telling me to "lighten up" and I'm going to counter to tell you to become more critical. With all due respect, the reason these abuses continue is not because of people like me.... it's because of people like you.

Where and how did you see me abuse marine life??

 

[Dan]

It could be snake eel too. Those snake eels live in sandy bottom & do retreat into sand backwards & just pop their head on the sand waiting for prey critter roaming on the sand, then pounce on the critter.

 

[Diver0001]

We all over the environment and love to protect marine life but you are being extreme and pretty much show off. I don't see the relevance of what you are saying to this video.

I'm expressing my opinion, nothing more, nothing less. I believe you when you say you don't see the relevance. Watch the video again, mate. When was the last time you saw a garden eel running from a pursuing diver? This is not normal behaviour for that animal.

Complacence is complicit. That's the answer to the next question you asked. If not accepting it makes you think I'm showing-off (your words, not mine, nor is that my feeling) then the gap between how we see this is pretty big.

R..

 

[divad]

. When was the last time you saw a garden eel running from a pursuing diver? This is not normal behaviour for that animal.

Its normal behavior for that eel to flee larger things he (f)eels might eat him. He didn't just make that up for the diver. Perhaps it would be more okay if the diver had torn off his head and eaten him?

 

[Diver0001]

It's normal behaviour for a garden eel to withdraw into the sand, not to swim away. Either the diver found one free swimming, which they rarely do, and took after it or he harassed it into running so he could get it on film.

R..

 

[uncfnp]

It's an interesting study in the way our personalities, past experiences and perspectives can color the way we view things. I looked at the video and saw a diver that had captured a video of a free swimming garden eel and followed along until it found a spot where it dug in. No touching and no real interaction.

Others saw a video where a diver had harrassed a garden eel, most likely by digging into the sand (since otherwise they just escape into the sand) until it tried to escape by swimming away and then finally digging into the sand again.

 

[divad]

I think its kind of stupid to to chase stuff.....but, the eels is probably used to it.

 

[CWK]

Every garden eel that I have ever seen, withdraws fully into the sand when a diver approaches. This is their normal behaviour even when the diver has absolutely no intention of harrasing the garden eels. This is the first time thst I've seen a free swimming garden eel. Thanks for sharing the video.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

Wow! What an amazing video- thank you! I really thought that was very interesting and I learned something.

The people that tried to suggest that you were harassing the eel need to consider that you didn't kill it, damage it or capture it. The eel might have felt it was in danger and did its best to escape. It probably felt lucky because it succeeded!

I am a hunter gatherer and often dive to catch things to eat (lobster, scallops, fisg, etc.). Those critters would probably love to change places with your eel.