Lockdown gifts us another nature’s marvel with a sight of rare endangered ornate eagle ray, spotted recently in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. By Upasana Singh
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The extraordinary sight of an ornate eagle ray in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has left marine biologists and ocean lovers in awe. This endangered species which rarely makes an appearance was spotted last week!
After nearly 45 years, the exotic ornate eagle ray (Aetomylaeus Vespertilio) was captured on camera by Jacinta Shackleton, a marine biologist and conservationist, as she shared the video on her Instagram profile. The rare footage was taken in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, known for its largest coral reef system and a variety of marine life including sharks and sea turtles.
On March 25, Shackleton was diving in the reef when she first spotted two rays in the water. She filmed the rare moment of one of the rays swimming in the sea and described her memorable encounter on Instagram as something she would never forget.
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The ornate eagle ray is an endangered species that conservationists believe is getting rarer day by day. Some estimate that their numbers have halved over the last 45 years. In recent years, the population of these rays has declined as a consequence of fishing activity, especially around the Gulf of Thailand. The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) contains only 17 records of this species in the Australian water from the 1990s to 2019.
Hence, it is extremely exciting that such a scarce species was spotted not only once but twice in a matter of weeks. Both times, it was seen close to Lady Elliot Island in the Great Barrier Reef. The distinctive species is marked by leopard-like spots and a yellow tint. According to ALA, it has not been sighted in large numbers ever since it was first described over 160 years ago. There is not a lot of information about the creature, but it is known not to be harmful to humans as it does not possess a stinging barb. It can reach lengths of 13 feet and is thought to be widespread (with variations) across the Western Indo-Pacific region in the waters around countries such as Australia, China, India, Malaysia, and Thailand.
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Shackleton believes that her emotional encounter with the rays has nothing to do with the COVID-19 lockdown. The Great Barrier Reef— a World Heritage Site as chosen by UNESCO in 1981, in Queensland, Australia is home to over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. This special sighting of the ornate eagle rays is a major highlight for researchers and marine life enthusiasts.
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