Mystery of the massacred mobula rays: Just why DID dozens of these bloodied sea creatures wash up on the beach in Gaza?

It was the first time the fish had been seen on the beach for six years, according to a local video report

Reaching up to 17ft in length, Mobulas are of a similar appearance to the more well-known Manta Rays



They can weigh more than 12 stone and sell for around five shekels (£0.90) per pound in local markets

Rays expert says blood on their pectoral fins may have come from slapping something such as boats







Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

Dozens of Mobula Ray fish were mysteriously washed up on the beach in Gaza City yesterday and carted off to market by Palestinian fishermen.

[if gte mso 9]>

It was the first time the fish had been seen on the beach for six years, according to a local video report purporting to show fisherman examining the Rays.

The fish are of a similar appearance to the more well-known Manta Rays, which are in the same family, and can reach a width of up to 17ft.



Scroll down for videos



On the beach: Palestinian fishermen were pictured with dozens of Mobula Ray fish that were washed up on the beach in Gaza City and carted off to market

Bloody scene: The fish are of a similar appearance to the more well-known Manta Rays, which are in the same family, and can reach a width of up to 17ft The Rays can weigh more than 12 stone and sell for around five shekels (£0.90) per pound in local markets, the Ma'an News Agency reported.

Bob Rubin, of Santa Rosa Junior College in California, is one of the world's leading expert on Rays, and spoke to MailOnline about the find in Gaza.

He said: ‘Mobulas often travel in huge schools of thousands of animals and also leap from the water and twist in the air. Very cool indeed.



'This observation is strange to me and unknown to me as well. I have worked in the Gulf of California for many years where there are abundant mobula schools and I have never seen a "mass stranding".



‘These animals seem to have blood on the "wings" - pectoral fins - which may have come from slapping something - boats, rocks, sand, each other?’

On the move: It was the first time the fish had been seen on the beach for six years, according to a local video report purporting to show fisherman examining the Rays On the way to market: Palestinian fishermen transport several Mobula Ray fish that were washed up on the beach in Gaza City today

In the dark: A Palestinian policeman looks at stranded Mobula Rays on the Gaza beach earlier today

He added that without seeing the fish and looking further into other possible causes such as their stomach contents and condition of their gills, he could not determine what might have caused the stranding.

'This observation is strange to me and unknown to me as well. These animals seem to have blood on the "wings" - pectoral fins - which may have come from slapping something - boats, rocks, sand, each other' Bob Rubin, of Santa Rosa Junior College in California

‘Large underwater noises or electrical signals may have caused some state of disorientation but that is only a guess on my part,’ Mr Rubin said.

Elsewhere, mounds of starfish were pictured baking in the sun on Olango Island at the start of their journey from sea creature to home decoration.

The animals were plucked from the tropical waters of the Philippines and bleached to remove their natural colour and smell before being exported.

Some will be dyed in bright colours and others left white. They are shipped around the world and used to decorate picture frames or brighten bathrooms.

Elsewhere: Mounds of starfish were pictured baking in the sun on Olango Island, Philippines, at the start of their journey from sea creature to home decoration

Hard graft: A worker sorts through piles of bleached starfish in the sun on Olango Island. They are gathered and bleached to remove their natural colour and smell Baskets: Workers sort through a huge pile of starfish being bleached in the sun on Olango Island at the start of their journey from sea creature to home decoration

VIDEO Palestinian fishermen collect and gut more than 200 Mobula Ray fish from the beach

VIDEO Fishermen land and fillet Hundreds of 'bat fish' landed on Gaza beach