Page 60 - wmo-51st-magazine
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1.  Tuna are made to swim fast                         evasion from predators like sharks and billfish but also crucial   and navigation in the marine world. Their migrations are driven   swim with their mouth open, forcing water over their gills, al-
          Tuna fish are renowned for their incredible speed and agility in   for catching prey such as smaller fish and squid.      by seasonal changes in water temperature and the availability   lowing them to exchange oxygen with the water and fuel their
          the ocean. Some species are capable of swimming at up to 50                                                               of prey, showcasing their adaptability and resilience.  They often   metabolism. If they stop swimming, they’ll suffocate.  In addition,
          miles per hour in short bursts. Their muscular bodies and hy-  2. Tuna migrate incredible distances                       travel in schools of hundreds or thousands of fish that can mea-  tuna are more dense than the water they live in, so if they stop
          drodynamic refinement minimize resistance in the water.  When   Tuna navigate some of the longest distances of any marine spe-  sure 10 miles or more across!                     swimming, they’ll sink. To maintain their depth, they must keep
          tuna are swimming rapidly, their fins are retracted into grooves,   cies. These magnificent fish traverse vast expanses of ocean, of-                                             moving through the water.
          and even their eyes form a smooth surface with the rest of   ten traveling thousands of miles between breeding and feeding   3.  Tuna never stop swimming
          the head allowing them to swiftly navigate through both coastal   grounds. Bluefin tuna, for instance, migrate across entire ocean   Tuna must swim in order to breathe, but of course, they must   4.  Tuna are considered warm blooded

          waters and deep ocean expanses. Tuna have also developed spe-  basins, from the western Atlantic to the Mediterranean, cov-  also breathe in order to swim. Unlike most fish, they do not   Unlike most fish, many tuna are considered warm-blooded be-
          cialized scales to reduce drag. This speed is not just a means of   ering distances that challenge our understanding of endurance   have a method to pump water through their gills.  Instead, tuna   cause they can regulate their body temperature to be warmer
























































                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Photograph by: Harry R. Hindmarsh












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