Contrary to popular belief, moray eels are generally shy and NOT aggressive. They would rather hide in their burrows and sit and wait for some curious prey to stop by. Once a shadow appears in front of the hole, the eel will lunge out and snap-clamp its jaws onto it. They must rely on an acute sense of smell to make up for some pretty bad eyesight, so it’s hard for them to distinguish between a sliver of fish and a human finger.

Image Credit: Richard Ling