What increases the likelihood of encountering larger marine species at night?

The likelihood of encountering larger marine species at night is primarily influenced by nocturnal feeding patterns. Many larger marine animals, such as sharks and certain types of fish, are more active and hunt during the night. This nocturnal behavior is often driven by several biological and environmental factors, including the availability of prey that may also be more active during the evening hours. As a result, when divers enter the water at night, they may observe these larger species engaging in their feeding activities, which can create exciting opportunities for observation.

Daytime feeding patterns mainly pertain to species that are active during daylight hours, while increased numbers of divers do not necessarily correlate with larger species' presence. Temperature gradients can affect marine life, but it is the specific behavior of feeding that plays a critical role in the increased likelihood of encountering these larger creatures during night dives.