“One of the ocean's fastest and most powerful predators.” Photographer witnesses elegant hunter prowling for prey

As a school of fish swirls above, a marlin prowls through the blue water, its distinctive stripes glinting in the sun. This is the stunning moment caught on film by wildlife filmmaker Alex Westover.

Westover shared the spectacular video on Instagram with the caption “marlin magic”. He describes the event as “a rare encounter with one of the ocean’s fastest and most powerful predators.”

Marlins are a type of billfish (a group which includes sailfish and swordfish). These predatory fishes are known for their rapier-like rostrum which they slash through the water to stun prey.

Westover was freediving when he had the close-up encounter with the graceful marlin. Seeing these open water predators in the water is very rare.

This incredible moment is a reminder of “how little we still know about life beneath the surface,” he says.

This article by Melissa Hobson was first published by Discover Wildlife on 24 June 2026. Lead Image: Striped marlin (Kajikia audax) carries a sardine in the mouth during the sardine run season in Bahia Magdalena, Mexico. Credit: Ventura Romero/Getty Images.