Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 61
The activities of bumphead parrotfi sh provide many opportunities for nested
ecological niches. This bumphead,
Bolbometopon muricatum
, is cruising the Blue Corner, an
underwater point that projects out from the reef surrounding the island of Palau in Micronesia.
Above its head a cornetfi sh is poised like an arrow. The cornetfi sh darts forward and catches
the creatures that are disturbed as the bumphead eats it way through the corals.
the Andaman Sea. Warm, sheltered, and relatively shallow, the Andaman Sea
swarms with shrimp—and also swarms with Thai shrimp boats. At night the
lights of their lanterns form a line that spans and defi nes the dark horizon.
Despite this overfi shing, life beneath the surface of the sea is enormously
varied and abundant. The south Andaman Sea waters of the Thai coast are
a favorite place for scuba divers, because they are clear and have a fi ne col-
lection of sharks and rays. As I was preparing for my fi rst dive at Ko Bon in
Thai territorial waters, the cry went up: “Whale shark!” We stuf ed snorkels
into our mouths and leaped into the water. I was a little behind the others,
because I had to grab my camera.
