Nature Notes: meeting Frank the Fish

Meet Frank: a wild giant Maori Wrasse who loves to cuddle. When scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, I watched him greet local scuba divers like an excited puppy, nuzzling up to say hello. He can remember any face he’s seen once, even under all that gear! Frank is believed to be over 30 years old.

Sadly, Maori Wrasse are sought-after game fish. Frank lives in the protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which prohibits fishing. I was conflicted about petting a wild animal for fear desensitization to humans would put him at risk, but when he swam up to me I couldn’t resist. While I wouldn’t touch him again, I must admit I loved meeting Frank!! He’s surprisingly soft.

Immersing myself in nature is what brings me alive and soothes my soul. I care deeply about protecting biological diversity. That’s why I’ve dedicated my leadership development practice and work at Regenerous to supporting Chief Sustainability Officers and series A leadership teams working to defend and restore our natural world.