Creature Feature: Moray Eel

Moray eels often get a bad rap as the brooding, menacing loners of the coral reef—but that reputation couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, morays are just misunderstood, shy creatures who prefer to keep to themselves.

This month’s blog post is dedicated to clearing the moray’s name and shedding light on its true nature.

Here are some fascinating facts that might just change how you see these beautiful, elusive creatures.

1. They Have Terrible Eyesight

When you spot a moray poking out from the reef, you might think it’s watching you—stalking, plotting, planning its next move. But in reality? Morays have awful eyesight and rely almost entirely on their sense of smell to hunt.

While spontaneous attacks on humans are rare, morays can bite divers—but there’s always more to the story. These incidents usually happen in areas where morays are hand-fed or when an overly curious diver shoves their hand into a dark hole (rookie mistake). Because of their poor vision, morays can’t always tell the difference between a snack and a stray finger, so they lunge at what they assume is food.

They’re not attacking—they’re just excited someone finally wants to feed them!

2. They Can’t Let Go

Unlike most fish, morays can’t create the suction needed to swallow prey. Their solution? A second set of jaws in their throat, called pharyngeal jaws, which grab and pull food down their digestive tract. Yes, they basically have an alien horror movie playing inside their mouths at all times.

So, when someone-who-met-someone-who-knew-a-guy tells you about a moray bite that “wouldn’t let go,” know this—the eel probably wanted to let go. It just physically couldn’t.

Don’t blame the moray. Blame evolution.

3. They Hunt at Night

After the unfortunate "moray vs. diver’s finger" incidents, these eels made a silent vow—only hunt at night to avoid unnecessary drama.

Under cover of darkness, they use their impeccable sense of smell to scour the reef, searching for fish, crustaceans, octopuses, and squid—fueling up for yet another day of being unfairly judged.

4. They Are Covered in Mucus

Yep, morays are extra slimy—but for good reason. Their mucus coating helps them glide effortlessly through rocky crevices without getting scratched. Some species even produce toxic mucus that protects them from parasites and predators.

For eels that burrow in the sand, this mucus also acts as a glue, keeping the sand in place. That way, when they make a hasty retreat from yet another disapproving diver, their hideaway doesn’t collapse on them.

Practical. And gross.

5. They Keep Opening and Closing Their Mouths—But Not to Scare You

“Look! It’s baring its teeth at me!” Nope. It’s breathing.

Unlike other fish, morays lack the bony covering (operculum) that protects their gills. Instead, they have to continuously open and close their mouths to pump water over them.

As much as they wish they could look less intimidating, they also kinda need to breathe, so… small issue there.

6. Their Babies Are Born Independent

From the moment they hatch, moray eel larvae (called leptocephali) are on their own—no parental guidance, no cozy upbringing, just pure survival mode.

They drift through the ocean for up to a year before settling into the reef, already well aware that they aren’t exactly the most popular fish in the sea.

7. Morays Use Their Unique Strengths to Make a Friend

Morays may be solitary by nature, but that doesn’t mean they can’t form meaningful connections. In fact, their stealth and agility make them the perfect hunting partner for an unlikely friend—the grouper.

Here’s how it works: The grouper, a social butterfly of the reef, spots prey and signals to the moray. The moray, using its special talent for sneaking into tight spaces, slithers into crevices to flush out the fish. If the prey escapes into the open—boom! The grouper gets the meal. If it hides in a crevice—surprise! The moray gets the snack.

A perfect partnership.

The Moral of the Moray’s Story

Moray eels are easy to spot around Zanzibar while diving or snorkeling with any of our three centers. Next time you see one peeking out from its rocky home, don’t recoil in fear—give it a little wave (from a respectful distance, of course).

Because if the moray eel teaches us anything, it’s this: Your unique traits are what make you special. Embrace them. And don’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover.