![]() And I'm filled with so many more questions about them. KWONG: And my friends and I are just in awe. KWONG: And it's this beautiful, graceful manta ray ballet of these fish gliding over and above and between each other, eating. And they're so big that they block the light with their bodies, so the lights are blinking in and out like a momentary eclipse. There's this one area of the seafloor called the campfire, and there are maybe 20 manta rays just circling around like ghosts. For an hour, we watch manta rays feed on plankton. Here, we're in their home, and I just need to be silent and watch.Īnd that's what we do. You know, so often we encounter creatures in - I don't know - built environments, zoos, et cetera. But the manta ray - it seems very, you know, spatially aware. I'm actually sucking my stomach into my rib cage because I'm so afraid of bumping the manta ray. And I realize I'm staring down the mouth of a manta ray, like, inches from my face as it pulls plankton into its belly. And it has wings that tip it towards us and then eventually barrel roll beneath us in a somersault. And it is eerie and silent and huge - like 7 feet across. They're all eating.Īnd then all the sudden, like, off to our right, there comes this, like, floating shadow specter of a fish. So I'm completely flat and staring down at this, like, oceanic highway of fish. And he tells me to, like, grab on to these ropes and float on the surface with my face stuck down in the water. I drop off the back of the deck of a boat and paddle over to this surfboard that is resting on the surface of the sea kind of being held in place by a guide. So I am wearing a wetsuit and snorkeling gear. ![]() ![]() And what they discovered is it attracted plankton, and plankton attracted fish. Basically, a hotel on the Big Island had put LED lights in the seafloor to - I don't know - create ambience. And the whole design of this tour was kind of a happy accident. ![]() The future of manta rays rests in our hands.So a few months ago, I went to Hawaii on vacation with some friends, and we decided to go nighttime snorkeling, which is exactly like snorkeling during the day, except you need giant LED lights to see by. “Manta rays are under severe threat because of unsustainable fisheries for their gills, meat and skin. “The goal of this project was to highlight the beauty and grace of manta rays, using art and dance to feature their charismatic and gentle nature in a way the world can relate with," Shawn added. In March 2013 they were listed for international protection by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix 2. Global manta populations have been ravaged over recent years due, in part, to demand from the Chinese medicine market. The larger species of manta ray, Manta birostris, can grow to a width of more than 20 feet and can weigh more than a tonne. Hannah's ocean exploits have seen her swim with whales and gained her notoriety in the media. “For every dozen attempts, perhaps one would result in a possible image." “That meant slow, patient and non-threatening interactions, allowing the mantas to approach us and hopefully begin their dance. “To capture these unique images, we had to approach the mantas on their terms. “And then for a moment their eyes would lock, reassuring each other of their mutual acceptance. “Often the mantas would twirl and loop below, up and over Hannah's head, their wingtips gently brushing within inches of her face. “Capturing this intimate ballet with Hannah and these graceful giants was a sight to behold,” Shawn said. He found the experience somewhat rapturous. Hannah and Emmy-winning cinematographer and photographer Shawn Heinrichs had to tread water in the open ocean for six hours at a time as they took the shots over 30 hours. “I aspire to be as graceful and beautiful these gentle, intelligent animals who are harmless and social. I was swimming upside down underneath its huge wingspan, blowing bubbles up onto its belly, which it seemed to love," she said. "One of the first animal encounters I ever had underwater was with a manta ray. These breathtaking underwater pictures show 'professional mermaid' Hannah Fraser dancing with a giant manta ray off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.Īustralian-born Fraser, a model and ocean environmentalist who works under the name Hannah Mermaid, is clearly taken with the "ballerinas of the ocean".
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