15 febrero 2007





They may do it to escape a potential predator, as part of a courtship display, or to rid themselves of skin parasites. Nobody knows. It could even be a kind of play.



According to several researchers, manta rays are often seen jumping out of the water, as high as 2 feet, and then returning to the sea. Scientists are not sure why this jump takes place - it is just one of the many things yet to discover about the manta. They may do it to escape a potential predator, as part of a courtship display, or to rid themselves of skin parasites. Nobody knows. It could even be a kind of play. A smaller variety, called



“Whoosh! – wrote Paul - Without warning, a mobula emerges from below the surface, its long flat body glistening in the evening light and whip for a tail trailing behind. Flap, flap, flap, maybe a somersault or two, and then smack! It happened again and again. Single flips. Straight-up belly flops. Double flips. I see a single mobula leap a few times in succession; others leap only once and then disappear. I witness mobulas partially emerging from the water, one third of the wingtip still immersed, and rotate around that tip”.



Here you can see some of the few pictures and videos I could find. I hope you like them:



A smaller variety, called Mobula , jumps more frequently than any other kind of manta-ray. In the summer of 2005, Paul and Michael Albert documented these fantastic creatures at the sea of Cortez (Baja California), one of the largest concentrations of Manta Rays in the world. “ The Flying Mobulas of the Sea of Cortez ”, is the amazing article they wrote after their experience with hundreds of jumping rays. “Whoosh! – wrote Paul - Without warning, a mobula emerges from below the surface, its long flat body glistening in the evening light and whip for a tail trailing behind. Flap, flap, flap, maybe a somersault or two, and then smack! It happened again and again. Single flips. Straight-up belly flops. Double flips. I see a single mobula leap a few times in succession; others leap only once and then disappear. I witness mobulas partially emerging from the water, one third of the wingtip still immersed, and rotate around that tip”.Here you can see some of the few pictures and videos I could find. I hope you like them:



Warning: Images courtesy of Michael Albert and Doc White. Do not copy without permission.



More info: 1, 2, 3, 4 Fogonazos top stories (In English)