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Giant Manta Ray Approaches Divers to Ask for Help With Untangling Herself [Video]
by Brianna Acuesta, True Activist
Animals are wonderful creatures who are often smarter than humans believe them to be. No matter what species it is, most creatures have done something that’s amazed researchers or regular witnesses, including going to humans for help with problems they know they can’t solve.
That’s exactly what a giant manta ray off the coast of Costa Rica did after she was caught in a fishing net that was cutting into her skin. Divers that were exploring the surrounding waters were amazed when they saw the manta ray in the distance coming towards them but were shocked that she made a beeline towards them without diverting off-course.
Generally speaking, wild animals tend to keep their distance from humans as a way to protect themselves, but this manta ray sought out their services and headed straight towards them. She swam around them and got close enough for the divers to reach out and take the tangled net off of her body. Thomas Monteiro, who was present during the incident, told G1 Globo,
“It was the first time I saw a manta ray. There was a very profound interaction between her and the diver.”
Credit: Oceano VideoSub
Even after the encounter, the manta ray stuck around for about half an hour just swimming around the divers as if to say “thank you.” She then swam off into the abyss to continue on with her life, now unfettered by the pain of the fishing net. Brian Thompson, who is the diver that ultimately was able to release her from the netting, said longingly,
“I felt so strong a love for her and happiness to know that she was free and could enjoy her life again.”
Though brief, the moment was sweet and life-changing for both the manta ray and the diver. If one must interact with wildlife, this is the most positive way to do it, by only extending a helping hand when asked by a creature and allowing it to be free to live its life afterwards. Every human can take notes on this interaction in order to learn what a proper wild animal encounter should look like.
Watch the video below to see the full encounter.
This article (Giant Manta Ray Approaches Divers To Ask For Help With Untangling Herself [Video]) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
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Source: http://soundofheart.org/galacticfreepress/content/giant-manta-ray-approaches-divers-ask-help-untangling-herself-video
Perhaps the Manta simply thought they might be cleaning fish.
Or perhaps just curious, although encumbered.
I’ve been open water diving in the Gulf of California and had huge Manta turn and come directly to me from over 70 feet away…and they weren’t in any kind of trouble at all.
Correction to my earlier comment, in case context confused folks…
From “might be cleaning fish” to “might be a cleaning fish”
A most precious moment in life. Yes, indeed, animals are smarter than we want to know.
If only the liberals and the Muslims were as smart as this manta, the world would be a better place for all of us to live in.
how about all religious people to be as smart as this ?
it was not very long ago that american christians were funding explosives and arms to kill british soldiers in northern ireland.
That is cool