Mouthy Moray Eel

Occurred on January 3, 2019 / Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Info from Licensor: "Moray Eels are not considered aggressive, but will defend their lair and bite any perceived danger. I have a couple scars on my left hand to prove that. They are normally pretty shy and approachable. Watch the quick snap of the eel's jaw, after the yawn like move. This quick snap was a warning for me to keep my distance. I was a little too close for the eel, and it wanted to let me know to back off. I don't want to stress out the animal, so I kept my distance and respected the animal's space.

Green moray eels average 6 feet in length. The eel in this video is around 6+ feet. It was pretty big! They have been known to reach 8 feet in length and reach 65 pounds.

Eels open and close their mouths in order to breathe. This motion along with the many sharp teeth make the image of the eel look pretty dangerous. It will not come after you unless you are spearfishing and have an easy meal at the end of your spear. You can normally approach them without any problems.

There are over 80 species of eel. They can be eaten, but most eels skins are toxic and can kill humans. I guess that's why we never see them on the menu."