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9 October 2026
Imagine seeing a fish leave the water and begin moving across the mud.
Your first thought would probably be that something had gone terribly wrong.
Not if it is a mudskipper.
These remarkable little fish live around muddy shores, mangroves and tidal flats. When the tide retreats, they do not necessarily retreat with it. They move across the exposed mud using their fins almost like limbs.
Their eyes make them even more entertaining. They sit high on the head and can move independently, giving the mudskipper the appearance of being intensely interested in everything happening around it.
Some species can jump, defend territories and scramble over roots and other surfaces. While out of water, they are able to obtain oxygen through moist skin and surfaces inside the mouth and throat, which is why remaining moist is so important.
There is something wonderfully untidy about the mudskipper.
We learned as children that fish swim, birds fly and animals walk.
Then along comes this small creature, hauling itself cheerfully across a mudflat and making our categories look rather inadequate.
Nature seems particularly fond of exceptions.
Perhaps that is what makes it so difficult to become bored with the world.
Just when we think we understand the rules, something walks out of the water.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah, Guwahati, Assam, India, Instagram @rajatchandrasarmah, YouTube: conversewithasmile, email rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
