Flying Fish...an unique species!

Flying Fish

"Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man"
-Stewart Udall- an American politician and later, a federal government official.

Flying fish (Exocoetidae) can be seen jumping out of warm ocean waters worldwide.
Historically, Barbados was nicknamed "the land of the flying fish", where today it is the official national fish. Once abundant, it migrated between the warm, coral-filled Atlantic Ocean surrounding the island of Barbados and the plankton-rich outflows of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

As the fact remains, their streamlined torpedo shape helps them gather enough underwater speed to break the surface, and their large, wing-like pectoral fins get them airborne.

Flying fish are thought to have evolved this remarkable gliding ability to escape predators, of which they have many and their killers include mackerel, tuna, swordfish, marlin, and other larger fish. Flying fish are known to feed on a variety of foods, including plankton for their sustenance.

An important fact prevails that there are about 40 known species of flying fish and beyond their useful pectoral fins, all have unevenly forked tails, with the lower lobe longer than the upper lobe while many species have enlarged pelvic fins as well and are known as four-winged flying fish.

 

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  How they fly?
  Now, coming to the process of taking flight, or gliding, begins by gaining great velocity underwater, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) per hour while angling upward, the four-winged flying fish breaks the surface and begins to taxi by rapidly beating its tail while it is still beneath the surface. It then takes to the air, sometimes reaching heights over 4 feet (1.2 meters) and gliding long distances, up to 655 feet (200 meters). Once it nears the surface again, it can flap its tail and taxi without fully returning to the water.
  
  

  

  
  

  Flying fish are capable of continuing its flight in such a manner, flying fish have been recorded stretching out their flights with consecutive glides spanning distances up to 1,312 feet (400 meters).
  
  

  

  
  

  Interestingly, Flying fish are attracted to light, like a number of sea creatures, and fishermen take advantage of this with substantial results. Canoes, filled with enough water to sustain fish, but not enough to allow them to propel themselves out, are affixed with a luring light at night to capture flying fish by the dozens.

  
  

  

  
  

  Quite sadly there is currently no protection status on these animals.
  Finally, we must realize the fact that they are unique and they also have the right to live, like we do!
  (AW:Samrat Biswas)