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‘Biblical’ moment thousands of fish leap from the water onto a Costa del Sol quayside
Thousands of small fish leapt from the sea onto a quayside near Málaga, Spain, in a striking scene filmed on Sunday afternoon. A local fishermen’s guild representative said a predator, possibly a tuna, may have driven the school to jump; the event drew attention from onlookers and offered gulls an easy meal.
The spectacle lasted about 20 minutes shortly before 1pm at Caleta de Vélez, east of Málaga. The fish, known locally as lachas and thought to belong to the herring family, may leap when fleeing predators or under pressure within a tightly packed school. Harbour staff and bystanders reportedly returned some to the water, though many died on land; the predator was not confirmed.
In short
- Thousands of fish leapt onto a Costa del Sol quayside.
- A predator, possibly a tuna, may have caused the escape.
- Some fish were returned to the sea, while many died.
Explained simply
Caleta de Vélez is a fishing harbour on Spain’s Costa del Sol, east of Málaga. The small fish seen there are known locally as lachas and are thought to be related to herrings.
Fish in a tightly packed school may leap out of the water when startled or trying to escape a predator. A tuna was suggested as one possible cause, but no predator was confirmed.
The incident drew a crowd and left many fish on the quayside, where gulls fed on them. The scene also reflects the risks fish face when a school is driven close to shore.