Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt 27 Jul 2025

Being surrounded by a shimmering spiral of silver—that"s what it feels like to encounter a school of blackfin barracuda at Shark Reef in Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt. These streamlined fish, marked by sharp V-shaped stripes, move in near-perfect unison. Their slow, deliberate spirals aren"t random—they"re an evolutionary strategy that offers both safety in numbers and an edge in hunting. Blackfin barracudas are found throughout tropical waters, from the Red Sea to the central Pacific. During the day, they gather in tight, coordinated groups near the reef, scattering at dusk to pursue prey.

© Alex Mustard/Nature Picture Library

palette

Today in History

A triumphant pose
The lonely castle
27 Jul 2024Cowes Week

More Desktop Wallpapers:

2 Apr 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States
Grand slam tournament
21 Apr 2024London Marathon
The largest gypsum dune field
19 Nov 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Shining city on the hill
15 Jan 2025266 years of the British Museum
14 Apr 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022)
26 May 2025Baobab trees, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
1 Sep 2024Totally Thames Festival, London
21 Mar 2025Happy International Day of Forests!
9 Jan 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
1 Aug 2025Edinburgh Festival Fringe
27 Mar 2026World Theatre Day
17 Sep 2024Mid-Autumn Festival
13 Jun 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Piecing together a better tomorrow
23 Mar 2024World Meteorological Day
A delightful day for donkeys
Check out these ‘sea cows’
Why are blackbirds tied to winter?
20 Feb 2025Red deer, Canada
9 Feb 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
When life imitates art
15 May 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
6 Feb 20262026 Winter Olympics
Rides above the tide
Wind powered ice racing
5 Oct 2025World Teachers Day