that's gotta hurt!

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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dphershman
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that's gotta hurt!

Post by dphershman »

I was at Sund Rock yesterday with my buddy Mark and did two dives, one along each wall. (its very quiet there on a monday!)

There was the beginning of a plankton bloom but viz was good below 30 feet, even better below 45 feet. Our second dive traversed the north wall, turning around at the trawler.

At the bottom of the wall there were several wolf eels, a couple of whom looked like they were on the losing side of an argument, most likely with one of the many lingcod in that were also in the area. Its interesting to note that the wound is in the same place for both animals. Hopefully they will heal soon.

Image

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I can only imagine the ferocity of the kind of attack that a lingcod would have to do to take such a large chunk out of a Wolf Eel's forehead.

Image


Looking through other photos I've noticed that several individuals have old scars in about the same location on their heads, some rather severe.

Image

Image



Dan
Last edited by dphershman on Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dan Hershman :smt024
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YellowEye
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by YellowEye »

Ouch!
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Scubie Doo
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by Scubie Doo »

Dan, saw the same wolfie this weekend. Looked painful.

See you on the Sunshine Coast this weekend :)

Gdog and I are diving whytecliff on Thursday afternoon if you can make it.

Sorry for the thread hijack. :)
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fmerkel
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by fmerkel »

Often it's the male wolfies fighting for territory that do it to each other.
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Jeff Pack
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by Jeff Pack »

thats what I was gonna say. I've watched battling wolfies, its not pretty.
=============================================

- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it

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dphershman
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by dphershman »

fmerkel wrote:Often it's the male wolfies fighting for territory that do it to each other.
That may be right. These two guys were only a few yards apart. One of the Wolfie's wounds looks like its healed up a bit more than the other, but it does make you wonder .

Dan
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dphershman
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by dphershman »

Scubie Doo wrote:Dan, saw the same wolfie this weekend. Looked painful.

See you on the Sunshine Coast this weekend :)

Gdog and I are diving whytecliff on Thursday afternoon if you can make it.

Sorry for the thread hijack. :)

I've had to get some serious 'indulgence' from my wife for skipping out of town on easter weekend, so I probably won't get away until friday morning. Looking forward to it! :)

Dan
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fmerkel
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by fmerkel »

I think the flabby forehead is actually an evolutionary protection mechanism to minimize more serious damage. But I speculate here.
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Grateful Diver
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by Grateful Diver »

Looks like a classic case of "you should've seen the other guy" ...

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dphershman
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update on injured wolf eels

Post by dphershman »

I was back at Sund Rock yesterday and found the two wolf eels that I'd seen a month earlier. Their injuries seem to have come a long way in healing in this relatively short time. They are still in the rocks at the base of the north wall, but they seem to have shifted their dens.

before
Image

after
Image

before
Image

after
Image

Dan
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Scubie Doo
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by Scubie Doo »

Very interesting. The second scar is healing pretty cool, looks like a star.
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Echo
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Re: that's gotta hurt!

Post by Echo »

Scubie Doo wrote:Very interesting. The second scar is healing pretty cool, looks like a star.
Like the buffalo at Yellowstone that got struck by lightening and now has a badass battle scar.
-Erika
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