New Delhi: World Manta Day is observed every year on September 17. This special day is all about celebrating manta rays and raising awareness about the dangers they face. This year’s theme is ‘The Power of Storytelling’ in manta ray conservation. Each story can make a difference in protecting these magnificent creatures. On World Manta Day, let us look at some of the interesting facts about one of marine’s special animals.
Amazing facts to know about Manta Ray
Manta rays are giant, flat fish with long fins. They can be found in many parts of the Great Barrier Reef and are some of the largest creatures in the ocean, with wingspans of up to 23 feet (7 metres).
Manta rays eat krill and zooplankton. They sometimes form long chains and swim in circles to catch their food. This behaviour is rare and has been observed on Lady Elliot Island.
Manta rays are gentle giants that feed by using their wide mouths to filter plankton and tiny organisms from the water.
They have unique belly patterns that researchers use to identify and track individual rays for conservation studies.
Male manta rays are known to jump, which is believed to help them attract female attention. Despite the popular belief that they jump to play, communicate, or get rid of parasites, this behaviour is thought to be a way for males to create commotion in the sea and potentially attract mates.
Like dolphins, primates, and elephants, manta rays show high intelligence and long-term memory. They can navigate their environment using sight and smell.
Female manta rays give birth every two years to one pup after a pregnancy of 12-13 months. The pups are born fully independent and can live up to 50 years in the wild. Manta rays visit “cleaning stations” on the reef, where smaller fish clean their bodies.
Manta rays are threatened by overfishing, poor water quality, sediment run-off, pollution, rising temperatures, and climate change. Overfishing is especially harmful due to their slow reproduction rate and long lifespan.
Manta rays are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Do you know Mantas are often called “devilfish” due to their distinctive horn-shaped cephalic fins, which some people believe give them a sinister or “evil” appearance? Read on to know more amazing facts about the marine animal. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
