![]() ![]() Only select articles from Defenders are available online. They are highly mobilethey move quite a bit and need protection in areas both where they travel and where they live. The species is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. ![]() This threat to the survival of manta rays comes on top of climate change, which is already wiping out the coral reefs that they depend on for vital feeding stations and breeding grounds.Īlthough manta rays can live 40 to 50 years-some scientists speculate as long as 100-the lives of these captivating, charismatic creatures will continue to be cut short if we don’t act intelligently to end the reckless and uncontrolled killing.įor more, visit /giantmantaray. The South Florida Underwater Photography Society (SFUPS) is a non-profit social organization dedicated to the promotion of excellence in underwater photography. The giant manta ray is a filter feeder with a wing span of up to 29 feet. And as fishermen wipe out shark species, they are targeting mantas as a substitute for shark fin soup. The mantas’ size and fearsome-looking cephalic fins once earned the animals the name. Manta ray meat is of little value, but one pound of manta ray gill plates can be worth more than $300. A manta ray pokes a fin through the water’s surface off the French island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. You need technical skill and an understanding of aquatic ecosystems to create a winning image. As a result, the gentle giants are dying for a small, but lucrative body part. Unfortunately-because other species have become rare-some in China are now deceptively touting crushed and dried manta ray gill plates as a cure for everything from chicken pox to cancers. This can produce stunning images, but it does take some special techniques. Kona Hawaii in the United States is famous for night diving and snorkeling with the local mantas. They are also spectacular subjects for photography and video. Being in the water with these large intelligent animals is always humbling. From the stage by Jesús M.Chamizo (Spain). Blue Insularis 7 by Chin Leong Teo (Singapore). Even with the strictest protections, it will take decades for manta rays to recover. Diving with giant manta rays is always an exhilarating experience. Check out some of the top professional photos from the 2020 International Photography Awards. Mantas reproduce slowly-they don’t bred until they are 15 and then have only one or two pups every two to five years. With no time to waste, Defenders is petitioning the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect all manta rays under the Endangered Species Act. Globally, populations are believed to have declined by at least 30 percent in recent years, but some specific manta populations have declined by as much as 86 percent. But related reef manta rays are only slightly smaller-and both are in trouble from severe overfishing. ![]() As its name suggests, the giant manta ray is the biggest ray out there. ![]()
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