Manta Rays: A Peaceful Giant In The Ocean

Playful, curious, and are giant fish in the ocean with triangular pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins, and large, forward-facing mouths. Manta rays, well known as the peaceful giants of the ocean.

Having horizontally flattened bodies, these sea creatures can live up to 50 years and takes up to 10 years of age to reach sexual maturity. Found in the tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters across the globe. They hunt with their mouths wide open and feed on large quantities of zooplankton and Krim.

manta rays, giants of the ocean, sea creatures, marine species

Falling under the family of Mobulidae, there are only 2 species of manta rays, known as giant oceanic manta ray and reef manta ray. A giant manta ray can grow up to seven meters from the tip of each wing but are usually around four and a half meters. Where the reef manta rays are smaller and are usually between three and three and a half meters but have been recorded up to five meters.

Manta rays are so smart, that they can recognize their reflection in the mirror just as bottlenose dolphins and apes. A mantas brain is ten times larger than the shark brain. But, the rays reproduce slowly, pregnancy lasts up to 12 to 13 months, and usually can give birth to 1 pup, occasionally 2. Due to this crisis, they cant bounce back into the world easily.

Manta rays make regular visits to cleaning stations where sea animals get to be cleaned by smaller creatures—where they stay still for several minutes while cleaner fish remove parasites and dead skin.

Unfortunately, manta rays are not safe. People in Sri Lanka and India hunt them for their gill rakers, which are popular for Chinese medicine.

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