Pez Leon eating turtle

[ggunn]

There’s no fishing in the marine park correct?

Fishing in the park is prohibited, as is most spearfishing, but an exception has been made for spearfishing lionfish. Hunting lionfish under that exception has been very effective in nearly eliminating them from the popular dive areas, but of course they flourish in deeper and more remote areas where divers don't go.

 

[Snoweman]

but of course they flourish in deeper and more remote areas where divers don't go.

Where most divers don't go. There are some members on here that are going to 300' and getting those. But, I am sure there are some lionfish deeper than that.

 

[scrane]

That turtle looks like a balloon about to explode.

 

[horn34]

Another quick fly-by here. He smelled lion fish on us, banged into a few flippers, then headed up.

 

[islanddream]

Green sea turtles are herbivores as they become adults. She looks more like a sub-adult. Greenies can get to be 350-400 pounds as adults. I volunteer at a sea turtle hospital and we feed the Greenies fish...and they eat it. Of course, sea grass, turtle grass, algae, etc. are their favorite foods but they will eat fish. I think it's great that the turtle is eating lionfish. If only she could catch them herself and not bother people spearing.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Green sea turtles are herbivores as they become adults. She looks more like a sub-adult. Greenies can get to be 350-400 pounds as adults. I volunteer at a sea turtle hospital and we feed the Greenies fish...and they eat it. Of course, sea grass, turtle grass, algae, etc. are their favorite foods but they will eat fish. I think it's great that the turtle is eating lionfish. If only she could catch them herself and not bother people spearing.

My biology students can quote my standard line: "This is always true, except when it isn't." For example "plants all do photosynthesis, except the ones that don't." There are a lot of exceptions to rules like "adult green turtles are strictly herbivorous." A couple years ago I watched a full adult (not subadult, as in the imagery) chewing on coral off of Maui. And not a little bit, she was going to town. Not supposed to happen, but it does.

Then there's this In a Never-Before Seen Behavior, Deer Spotted Gnawing Human Flesh

 

[ggunn]

Where most divers don't go. There are some members on here that are going to 300' and getting those. But, I am sure there are some lionfish deeper than that.

Well, of course, but a couple of divers going to 300' and harvesting lionfish isn't really much of a factor in controlling their population.

 

[Snoweman]

Well, of course, but a couple of divers going to 300' and harvesting lionfish isn't really much of a factor in controlling their population.

There are more than a couple, but it doesn't matter how many there are. They are like fire ants. Kill 100 mounds and 1000 more show up somewhere else.

 

[RayfromTX]

They are also in very shallow areas if there are nook and crannies for them to hid in.

 

[BRT]

But it is fairly astounding how few of them we see compared to before spearing them.