PeterB Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 This is an item of interest as we have kayakers who are naturalists and who paddle Salem Harbor: from the Communications Dept. at the New England Aquarium: "If you open today's Globe on page B3, you will see a stunning picture of a dead giant manta ray with an 11 foot wingspan that was found dead in Salem Harbor Sunday. Unfortunately, the picture is not running on the Globe's website, but it is amazing. Channels 4 (CBS), 5 (ABC) and Fox also covered the story last night. Many of our visitors or familes and friends might inquire about it. Here are some basic facts: 1. The animal was an Atlantic manta ray and was 7 feet eight inches long from its tail to to the middle of its head. We guessed that it weighed 500-600 pounds, but it might have weighed more. It had a wingspan of 11 feet. The maximum wingspan in that species is 22 feet! 2. Atlantic manta rays can be found from Brazil to New England. They are very rare summertime visitors here and are normally found in the open ocean and not near the coast. Unlike most ray species, they swim at the top of the water column and not near the bottom. They are described as graceful and powerful swimmers. Atlantic manta rays are considered gentle giants and are not a threat to humans. 3. Like most giant species, they eat low on the food chain. Atlantic manta rays primarily feed on plankton, shrimp and small fish. This ray has that double head-like appearance with an eye on each promontory. Between those heads is a long thin rectangular mouth that is used for skim feeding. 4. We do not know what this animal died of. He did appear underweight to us. He had no apparent trauma. He most likely died of underlying disease or had some kind of foraging problem. We were unable to do an autopsy. 5. The giant ray was probably in Salem Harbor and out of its habitat, because it was ill and near death. Animals like people, when gravely ill, are often disoriented and can wander great distances outside of their normal range. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Pic from wbz... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Wow, where exactly did it wash up? Does anybody know? Salem Harbor is pretty dense with moorings...You would think something that big would collide with boats before washing up on the beach... Geez can you imaging kayaking and noticing something like that next to you in the water? Dead OR alive?? eek AND ick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted August 13, 2007 Author Share Posted August 13, 2007 Wow, where exactly did it wash up? Does anybody know? Salem Harbor is pretty dense with moorings...You would think something that big would collide with boats before washing up on the beach... Geez can you imaging kayaking and noticing something like that next to you in the water? Dead OR alive?? eek AND ick! Seeing one next to you in the water is wondrous! I saw a large manta ray swim under my boat (not a kayak) in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Gulfport Miss.; just a giant dark apparition floating by,surely less than 10 feet under the surface. They are harmless, as they feed on plankton, like most whales. Nevertheless, you do feel your heart in your throat when you see one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I agree - probably not the same feeling as if you were to see a shark...but the sheer size is what I imagine to be intimidating! ...a reminder that YOU'RE visiting THEM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcohn Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 I agree - probably not the same feeling as if you were to see a shark...but the sheer size is what I imagine to be intimidating!I've never found them to be intimidating. They're usually pretty shy, they will avoid you, but beautiful to see in the water. Divers need to be very quiet to get close to one.. Except for the Islas Revillagigedos where the mantas like the divers and will seek them out. Carol Cotton Walker has some photo posted here: http://www.scubadiverinfo.com/images/rays/Image1.html Note petting is OK, but riding (as in image #4) is forbidden, when I was there they told us no more airfills for a diver who rode a manta. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Ralph, In the pics, what are those other fish (?) that appear to be piggy backing (?) on the Manta? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcohn Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 QUOTE(Kevin B @ Aug 13 2007, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ralph, In the pics, what are those other fish (?) that appear to be piggy backing (?) on the Manta? Those are some type of remora (sharksuckers) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remora photos at: http://www.oceanlight.com/lightbox.php?sp=Remora_sp. They are all over the whale sharks; some big whalesharks may have 10 or more inside their mouths. I've seen them on dolphins as well. They hitchhikers, not parasites. I’ve heard about them attaching to divers, but the couple of times I’ve been around free swimming remoras, they had enough sense not try to attach. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Wow, where exactly did it wash up? Does anybody know? Salem Harbor is pretty dense with moorings...You would think something that big would collide with boats before washing up on the beach... Geez can you imaging kayaking and noticing something like that next to you in the water? Dead OR alive?? eek AND ick! Heidi, Salem News reports that it was found by some jet skiers over near the Beverly (rt 1A) bridge. So not Salem Harbor.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcasey Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Seeing one next to you in the water is wondrous! I saw a large manta ray swim under my boat (not a kayak) in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Gulfport Miss.; just a giant dark apparition floating by,surely less than 10 feet under the surface. They are harmless, as they feed on plankton, like most whales. Nevertheless, you do feel your heart in your throat when you see one! Ditto here...we saw many rays (don't know if they were mantas) while paddling in the keys....they usually went by fast - a large dark wing shape "flying" underneath you. We thought they were cool. I don't know what I would have thought if one were to try to climb onboard, though. Rick S - you wanna hazard a guess on size or species? I've lost too many brain cells since then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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