The Unexpected Way Some Fish Climb Up Waterfalls

Publish date: 2024-05-06

Fish, of course, don't really have bodies that are naturally adapted to climbing of any sort. Even so, some unique species battle on and achieve remarkable things despite that limitation. The mudskipper is one such example. The documentary "Wild Africa" stated in 2009 (per the BBC) that a mudskipper is "not so much a fish, but half a fish," capable of evading the many threats in the water by climbing trees and finding high ground. Breathing on land is a very unique trait for a fish, but the multitalented mudskipper makes its own rules.

Without opposable thumbs, claws, or any conventional grasping tools, fish have to find ways to ascend using the familiar body parts they tend to have in common: their fins and powerful mouths. The latter, in particular, is crucial for some fish's efforts to climb waterfalls.

According to National Geographic, the Nopili rock-climbing goby, as its name suggests, has no problem climbing this tricky terrain. The outlet reports that this small yet formidable fish "uses suckers in its mouth and belly to move up steep cliffs in its rugged Hawaiian habitat." This goby is only about an inch in length, but it seems to be quite the powerhouse.

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