You’d be forgiven for thinking that the diet of an ocean creature smaller than a grape wouldn’t be very interesting. But, in the case of the blue dragon, you’d be very wrong.
In an astonishingly detailed video, a wildlife photographer has shown just how fascinating the mealtimes of these stunning nudibranchs are.
Blue dragons feed on venomous creatures, including Portuguese men of war, by-the-wind-sailors (Velella velella) and blue buttons (Porpita porpita). They steal their victims’ venom and store it to use themselves for self-defence.
Nature and conservation photographer Alex Basha has shared this sea slug’s sensational snack time with the world through an exquisite video captured in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
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Basha has been photographing the wildlife of Las Canteras Beach for several years. When strong winds pushed several open ocean species – including blue dragons – closer to shore in this Special Area of Conservation, he took the opportunity to document the event.
Thanks to advice from fellow photographer Pablo Moratalla, Basha was able to capture hypnotic close-up footage of a blue dragon munching on a blue button. Somewhat horrifyingly, its prey was still alive as the tiny predator nibbled on its tissue.
“I used a Sony A7 IV with a 90mm f/2.8 macro lens,” says Basha. “To bring out the colours of the nudibranch and capture its behaviour in detail, I worked with external lighting from the shoreline using a tripod and a LED video light.”
“Seeing a blue dragon feeding at such close range was quite striking,” says Basha.
But he describes the moment as bittersweet. “These species belong to the open ocean, and when they reach the coastline, it often means they won’t make it back offshore,” he says. “Although it feels like a privilege to witness it up close, in most cases it’s the final stage of their journey.”
Image and video credit: Alex Basha, alexbasha.com
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