Here at Roaring Earth, we LOVE pufferfish and porcupinefish, and we’ve written many stories about them. From the pufferfish caught in a swirling clash of currents to the diver giving a pufferfish a back massage, we think they’re pretty swell (Haha. Get it?). But this touching pufferfish story might be our best one yet. Here, a snorkeler finds a distressed porcupinefish floundering in a fishing net.
Grabbing a broken bottle, the snorkeler works to free the snagged pufferfish and starts cutting lines. Oddly, instead of fleeing the big, scary-looking human and abandoning its friend, the free pufferfish does not leave the trapped pufferfish’s side. Instead, it hangs around, watching as the other pufferfish slowly inflates and deflates in response to the stress.
Then, in an even more spectacular twist, when the other pufferfish is freed, the free pufferfish accompanies it. Like two best friends, the pufferfish pair leaves the scene and heads out into the turquoise waters. Is this a sign of compassion or intelligence? We can’t say. Perhaps, the pufferfish realized the snorkeler wasn’t a threat and banded together for defense.
Watch the video here: