The Fish that Digs a Well

Listen

Wells are usually dug by people in order to get water. Why, then, would a fish dig a well?

The well digger fish is a member of the Jawfish family and lives in the warm coastal waters of southern and southeastern Asia. With its large mouth and extra long jaw bones, the well digger fish is perfectly equipped to dig holes in the sea bottom using its mouth as a dredging machine. Once its hole is deeper than the length of its body, the well digger collects small pieces of shell and coral and presses them into the side of its hole. Eventually the entire hole is lined with these hard materials, creating a wall and looking very much like an old fashioned well. And as any good engineer knows, such a lining helps prevent the sand or mud from collapsing back into the hole.

After finishing his well, the well digger backs into his hole, tail first, safe from all danger. His hole also provides him with a hiding place from which to surprise his prey.

The well digger can be given credit neither for the engineering skill necessary to line a hole to prevent collapse nor for the special feature of an extra jaw well designed to build its well. How could a fish, by chance, think of building a well, no less have the engineering wisdom to line it in order to prevent collapse? The well digger is an example of how the Creator gives gifts that we don't usually think about, including biological design as well as intelligence.