Manta
Manta rays are soft-bodied fish that live in tropical and subtropical regions and have been on earth for nearly 120 million years. Manta rays are very large, with some specimens reaching a wingspan of almost 25 feet. They feed mainly on plankton and sometimes small fish. They are harmless to humans, as they have no stinging barbs or dangerous teeth.
The manta's very broad and flat body shape, with a very slender tail trailing from its rectangular body, makes it appear to be a fish from hell.
If you look at the manta ray alone, it is really scary, but in reality, it is a very docile and quiet fish.
Similar to basking sharks, manta rays swim around in the water and are cruisers, often around coral reefs, but are not territorial and are not aggressive.
Although their intelligence is comparable to that of cetaceans and they are very friendly to humans, they are often hunted by humans.
Manta rays are gregarious and collaborative, and in the sea, when rounding up pelagics and fish.
They will gather their prey in a circle and begin to eat together.
When feeding, manta rays open their mouths to allow the water and food to flow into the mouth together, then leaving only the food behind.
This feeding characteristic is very similar to that of basking sharks and baleen whales.
Like cetaceans, manta rays can also leap over the sea when close to the surface.
In the sea it swims upward in a rotating position and, when close to the surface, quickly springs itself up and soars above the surface like a flying fish.
Manta rays have a very slow growth span and are very weak in reproduction, they can easily become extinct quickly if they are hunted in large numbers.
Most manta rays do not begin to reproduce until they are about 10 years old, and some species do not reproduce until they are 16 years old.
Manta rays only give birth to one small manta ray every four years or so, and their reproductive capacity is very low.
A manta ray with a maximum lifespan of 45 years will only give birth to about 17 modules in a single year.
So, overfishing will cause the module to become extinct so quickly that they will not be able to regain their numbers through their efforts.
Manta rays are nostalgic, colony-dwelling animals that prefer to live in a specific area, so it is easy to catch them.
Their guts are not tasty, Even the sharks in the sea do not like them.
The World Conservation Union IUCN has classified manta rays as endangered.
The protection of manta rays is now under a very strict regulatory regime.