Giant Trevally

Photo: Nikolai Vladimirov · CC BY-NC

Giant trevally at Batu Bolong form hunting packs of 20 to 50 individuals that coordinate ambush attacks on baitfish schools compressed against the pinnacle by current, creating explosive eruptions of silver at mid-water. These are among the largest and most powerful bony fish on coral reefs, with individuals exceeding 70kg, and their predatory behavior at Batu Bolong unfolds at close range as divers hold station against the current just meters from the action. The sheer numbers of large trevally here reflect the exceptional productivity of the Komodo channel upwelling system.