New Zealand Fish Plucks Food Off Dry Land

An Auckland, New Zealand teacher and two students came across an unusual sight while surveying banded kokopus in a local stream. They saw one of them jump out of the water and quickly touch upon the river bank.

According to Auckland's North Shore Times the teacher, Kit Hustler, and his charges suspected it was a hunting tactic they'd just witnessed.

So the trio set out traps of larvae along the river bank and waited. Sure enough, nearly all of the kokopus they observed leaped from the water and successfully plucked the bait from the bank, diving back into the water with their snacks. (See video above.)

The banded kokopu are largely nocturnal and can only be found in New Zealand. They typically grow to about 8-10 inches long and can live for 9 years or more.

Hustler thinks the fish keeps an active watch on the shore, and this new behavior may help explain prior studies that showed unexpected contents in the fish's stomach, the North Shore Times noted.

The fish, it seems, has a wider food supply than previously thought, as well as an unexpected approach to obtaining it.

"It's quite unique for fish to jump out of the water," Hustler told the North Shore Times. "I don't know how many do but I'd say it's less than 20 globally."

From Discovery News