00:00If they swim, they are strong, have big and sharp teeth, and when they stare, it's like they're going to attack you.
00:25Can you swim in the sea with the barracuda?
00:30Yes.
00:40But wait, what do you know about this fish?
00:44I don't know. It looks like it has a long nose.
00:49It has big and sharp teeth.
00:52It's a barracuda. It's an ocean floor predator.
01:00Barracudas live in tropical waters.
01:04Did you know that one of the divers and sport fishing enthusiasts is a barracuda?
01:11Many of them live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean.
01:17What is their favorite spot under the sea?
01:20Either near the surface or near coral reefs and sea grasses.
01:24It's famous because of its scary appearance.
01:28Barracuda is a ray finned fish that lives in salt water.
01:33It came from the family of Sparrinidae, which when it's matured, it grows to more than 5 feet and weighs more than 100 pounds.
01:43It's almost as big and as heavy as an adult human.
01:47Barracudas have big mouths where they hide their sharp teeth that they use to hunt for food.
02:00Their favorite foods are small tuna, herrings, and anchovies.
02:05If sharks are the lion of the sea,
02:08there is a group of fish that is like a sea hyena.
02:13They are what we call a torsillo or barracuda.
02:18They are ambush predators that hunt and eat different kinds of fish.
02:25But the question is, in the scary looks of barracudas, do they really attack humans?
02:31Well, the answer is, no.
02:35They don't attack humans when they are swimming with them.
02:45They are not that dangerous.
02:48They just look scary because they don't attack humans.
02:54They are not that dangerous.
02:57They just look scary because they have a very sharp face.
03:04But they are piscivores or usually they just eat fish or squid or any other fish that they can catch.
03:14There, they're safe.
03:17My friend, Dakila, is kind.
03:20Have you ever thought if it's okay to eat this fish?
03:24Barracudas are edible.
03:27It's an edible fish.
03:29It's normal to eat these fish.
03:32The problem is, when they're big,
03:35if they're already an old barracuda, it's possible that we can get a sequoia or an illness.
03:46In the Philippines, particularly in the southernmost island, in the Visayas Island group,
03:51there are also a lot of barracudas.
03:56Welcome to Siquijor, the mythical island of Central Visayas.
04:05Aside from the beautiful mountains, Siquijor is also known for its white sand beaches.
04:11In fact, it's also a safe haven for marine life.
04:14I established the Tolapos Marine Sanctuary since 1987.
04:19The purpose of this is to conserve the marine life.
04:24This is a tourist site.
04:30We patrol the Marine Sanctuary.
04:34When we go inside, we always see barracudas.
04:38We always see barracudas.
04:41That's why we thought that we might be able to earn income here.
04:47The 14-hectare beach of the Tolapos Marine Sanctuary is home to various sea animals,
04:56and of course, barracudas.
05:01The barracudas that can be seen here are very friendly.
05:04Because it's difficult and dangerous for mature barracudas to hunt for food,
05:12juvenile barracudas are the ones that tourists visit in the sanctuary.
05:19Look, a school of barracudas.
05:24Did you know that barracudas also have the ability to swim in school?
05:29This is the simultaneous and synchronized swimming that looks like they're floating under water.
05:37How cute!
05:40Why do some fish do this?
05:43Usually, they protect themselves from the enemy when they swim together.
05:50In addition, friction is reduced when swimming is synchronized,
05:55so their energy is also conserved while swimming.
06:00And to prove that they're cute and friendly,
06:04we're joined by a group of free divers, SeaQuid Dive,
06:08led by our friend Jeddo Gairanan, so we can get to know them better.
06:15Let's dive 22 meters down the ocean, friends.
06:30When we see a school of barracudas under the sea,
06:34what is our proper behavior?
06:36Well, Jeddo will show us.
06:39For diving with barracudas, it's like swimming slowly,
06:44and then also when we're close, no touching, and then also no feeding.
06:50For free diving, of course, you need to be comfortable in the place,
06:53and then also be relaxed, and then focus on taking care of the barracudas.
06:58The behavior of barracudas is playful,
07:02they're not aggressive, they don't attack, they just play underwater.
07:07More than 50 barracudas can dive at the same time.
07:12Amazing!
07:14If you notice, barracudas swim fast.
07:17Well, because they run as fast as 58 kilometers per hour.
07:24If Jeddo is a friend of barracudas,
07:28our adventurous free diver friend, Gilbert,
07:32wants to see them in person.
07:35I only see barracudas on TV and on social media.
07:44So when he heard about the barracudas here at Tulapos Marine Sanctuary,
07:48he invited his group, Swake Divers.
07:53Well, brother Gilbert, this morning, your wish seems to be coming true.
07:58Let's show him the school of barracudas.
08:11When I first dived, I was a little scared because it's new to me.
08:16I was wondering what would happen to me, what would a barracuda do to me.
08:23As a free diver, I just need to focus on my oxygen.
08:30But when they're close, their teeth are just a little bit,
08:34they're not that scary, they're just friendly.
08:38I was really happy when I encountered them,
08:43I was really happy when I experienced diving with a barracuda.
08:47Especially when I was in the middle of their group,
08:51the barracuda was circling around me from side to side.
08:55I could really see their eyes, their jaws.
08:59It's beautiful, it's really worth it when you're here in Tulapos.
09:02This experience is worth it.
09:06Did you enjoy our meet and greet with the barracudas?
09:11Let's not scare them just because of their looks.
09:16Just because of an encounter with these fish,
09:19there's no good experience.
09:22Aha!
09:23Just because of an encounter with these fish,
09:26there's no good experience.
09:29Aha!
09:53You
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