Welcome to the underwater arena of the Great Barrier Reef, where nature’s most impressive animals compete in a daily game of survival. Among them, the most dominant athletes thrive. These aquatic superstars have been genetically training for millennia, honing their skills to become harder, better, faster and stronger.
Discover our top four athletes of the Reef.
#1. Parrotfish
The hardest of competitors, the parrotfish are prolific eaters equipped with nature’s own jackhammer: their incredibly tough teeth. Fused as one to their jawbone, their teeth are harder than many metals including gold, copper and iron. This jaw-dropping performance allows them to chomp through coral and rock at 20 bites per minute in their relentless pursuit for tasty algae.
This constant munching isn’t just impressive – it’s ecologically crucial. A large parrotfish can process over a ton of coral reef in a year, playing a vital role in reef health by clearing space for new coral growth and producing sand.
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#2. Humpback whale
When it comes to the best marathon efforts, there are many amazing contenders in our ocean but few are better than the humpback whale. These majestic animals showcase their incredible endurance traversing from Antarctica to Australia’s tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef annually in a relatively short timeframe.
A direct route will clock their swim at approximately 6,500 to 8,000 kilometres one way, but humpbacks don’t usually swim in a straight line and may detour over greater distances.
These playful leviathans are the musicians of the sea.
#3. Sailfish
The sailfish is known to record fast times, reaching a maximum speed of more than 100 kilometres per hour (62 miles per hour) – more than 10 times faster than Michael Phelps at their respective top speeds.
Evolution has sculpted these marine sprinters into the perfect velocity machines, with streamlined bodies, foldable dorsal fins and an elongated bill that provide explosive starts, reduce drag and slice through water effortlessly. Like true sprinters, sailfish aren’t built for endurance. They use their incredible speed in short bursts, primarily for hunting or evading predators.
#4. Mantis Shrimp
The mantis shrimp is the hardest hitter and undisputed lightweight champion of the ocean. This pint-sized crustacean packs a punch that would make Mike Tyson envious. The mantis shrimp’s strike is so lightning-fast and powerful that it’s invisible to the naked eye, clocking in at speeds comparable to a .22 calibre bullet.
The mantis shrimp is a knockout specialist for good reason. Its explosive force allows it to smash through the tough shells of its prey, access well-protected food sources, and defend its territory with brutal efficiency.
So, while other creatures on the Reef might be faster or larger, when it comes to sheer hitting power, the mantis shrimp stands alone, proving that in nature’s boxing ring, it’s not the size that counts.
This deep-sea crustacean packs a powerful punch.
