Be respectful, be attentive and monitor your surroundings, and you’ll be safe. An encounter with a manta ray can be one of the most thrilling wildlife experiences anybody can hope to experience. Yet, this does not make them dangerous.Īs a species, manta ray are not only safe to be in the water with, but are also friendly and fantastic to be near. While they won’t eat or sting you, you should always be careful around large animals like manta rays, because accidents can happen and both parties can end up injured if you don’t consider the impact of your encounter. Only large sharks and killer whales are known to eat manta ray, and this is rare. Why don’t manta rays have stinging tails? Probably because they have very few predators. It is thought that this an evolutionary remnant of when manta rays and stingrays were part of the same species, but over time have branched off from one another. This brings us to ask just how dangerous manta rays are. For example, incorrect conduct during snorkeling and diving activities can be a source of stress for manta rays. Their tail may look similar to a stingray tail but does not serve any purpose. Manta rays never lose sight of ocean areas rich in nutrients and are capable of attracting prospective prey to their slaughter stake. However, humans can be dangerous to manta rays. They do not have stinging tails or barbs. Manta rays belong to the same family of animals as the stingray, but they are not stingrays. Manta rays can be intimidating animals to encounter because of their size and curiosity (not to mention their enormous mouths) but they should be considered as harmless as a whale. These gentle giants are filter feeders, gliding through the ocean on their massive wings feeding on microscopic plankton near the surface of the water. They are calm and delicate animals with no aggressive behaviours and are not predatory in nature. Divers and snorkelers that swim with manta ray should be prepared for the giants of the ocean to get close.īut is that a risk? Are Manta Rays Dangerous? Manta rays are known for their curiosity and close interactions with humans. Without criticizing this holistic medicine, there is no scientific evidence supporting these uses and recent studies have shown manta rays possess toxic levels. In addition to being completely docile and safe to be around, as the species didnt evolve with a dangerous stinger, these rays are also acrobatic within the. They are big rays with a fin span of 25 feet. They are fast, agile and confident animals. The manta rays (Mobula Alfredi) is one of the largest and most iconic marine species in the Maldives. Although manta rays do not have sharp stings on their tails, the ray can be said to be another type of stingray. A close relation to the shark, manta rays are massive flat fish that have wide-yawning mouths capable of consuming vast amounts of food - around 5 kilos per day. At 1,600kg in weight, and with a nine-metre wingspan, these enormous creatures absolutely dwarf a fully grown adult. Manta rays are one of the largest creatures in the ocean.
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