Exploring the wonderfully colourful underwater realm of the ocean is a fantastic way to spend a holiday. However, there are some things that you need to remember…Marine animals don’t react to humans the same way as animals on land and they are also extremely fragile in comparison.
Turtles :- Although they look very sturdy and friendly, these very unusual animals are very fragile & extremely special
They have an extremely slow metabolism which allows them to survive in their environment. However, when people try to “catch a ride”, thinking they are playing with the animal, their slow reaction doesn’t show that this causes extreme panic in the animal and often results in death due to heart failure, some hours later… They also eat jellyfish and sadly, plastic bags floating in the water are often ingested in error, resulting in death as well, so please always remove anything like that that could harm them.
Moray Eels:- These beautifully coloured animals have extremely sharp teeth, but are also pretty blind and rely heavily on their sense of smell to detect food. Never wave or waggle fingers near them to entice them out of their holes (and NEVER try to feed them)…they are deceptively quick and can detect movement which will trigger their hunting reaction and you could lose a finger! On the whole, they can be handled (although carefully and only with experience) and they have the softest skin imaginable…By the way, when they open and close their mouths, they are forcing water through their gills to breathe.
Whale Sharks :- The largest fish in the world – bearing in mind that whales are definitely NOT fish…these giants can grow to 18m in length, although the average size we see is about 10m or so. They are totally safe and have no teeth as they feed on plankton. They are often happy to cruise around with divers and snorkelers. However – don’t get too close to their powerful tails…
– Written by: Debby Oscroft (Local Sales & Marketing Rep)
If you have any other helpful hints of what you can and can’t do in Madagascar (or anywhere else tropical) please feel free to share….?
If you would like some help in planning an amazing Madagascar holiday please feel free to contact us on info@jenmansafaris.com!
