Whereas researching the endangered shortfin satan rays at Aliwal Shoal off the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast in 2020, Michelle Carpenter found that this Marine Protected Space (MPA) contains an space of cleansing stations utilized by shortfin satan rays – solely considered one of two recognized locations on the earth.
And this December, guests to the KZN South Coast will get the prospect to dive with these distinctive creatures with the Satan Ray Conservation Dive launch.
‘South Coast Tourism and Funding Enterprise (SCTIE) is worked up to welcome the launch of this conservation initiative that may carry our vacationers nearer to the unimaginable marine life discovered right here,’ stated Phelisa Mangcu, CEO of SCTIE.
‘With Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks already two of the world’s high dive websites, it’s fantastic that we’re now capable of additional improve our choices for worldwide divers. This launch comes on the again of The Conservation Symposium, which was efficiently hosted on the KZN South Coast, attracting leaders within the area of assorted conservation sectors. The preservation and safety of our wildlife and pure areas is a precedence, and we’ll proceed to help such impactful initiatives.’
Carpenter, an area diver and PhD pupil (College of Cape City) specializing in manta and satan rays, stated that the Satan Ray Conservation Dive is a singular dive visiting the shortfin satan ray cleansing stations found on Aliwal Shoal.
‘The Endangered shortfin satan ray is carefully associated to manta rays, is totally innocent to divers, and is usually uncommon to see,” defined Carpenter. “Manta rays are well-known world wide for his or her cleansing stations, however most satan ray cleansing stations haven’t but been discovered.’
She defined that cleansing stations are areas on the reef the place cleaner fish take away parasites or lifeless tissue off of a ‘shopper’ similar to rays, sharks, fish and turtles. The cleaner fish will get a meal, whereas the shopper maintains well being.
‘These cleansing stations are areas the place sharks and rays repeatedly return to, making them hotspots essential to guard for his or her conservation,” she continued. “One of many already well-known cleansing stations on Aliwal Shoal could be ‘Cathedral’, the place noticed ragged tooth sharks, potato bass, and different creatures go to to be cleaned.’
Presently, Aliwal Shoal is considered one of solely two recognized shortfin satan ray cleansing station areas – the opposite being Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique. Carpenter stated, earlier than her discovery, the cleansing station had doubtless gone unnoticed. Manta rays have been documented visiting the identical cleansing station for over 30 years. Whereas this shortfin satan ray cleansing station has solely been monitored since 2020, the rays have been discovered to return yearly.
‘We’ve got unimaginable ray range and abundance at Aliwal Shoal. Although a world-famous shark vacation spot, Aliwal Shoal has much more range by way of ray species than it does sharks,’ she commented.
Quick info about shortfin satan rays
- Shortfin satan rays, like all ‘mobulids’ are filter-feeding rays that eat zooplankton, like whale sharks. So little is thought about this household of rays that their taxonomy continues to be being questioned.
- Mobulid ray species are gradual rising, with stay beginning, lengthy pregnancies (10 or extra months) and small numbers of pups, making them simply impacted. Like all sharks and rays, any fishing of those animals just isn’t sustainable.
- The principle threats to mobulids embody direct harvesting of their gill plates for Asian markets and bycatch from longlines, tuna seine nets, gill nets, and trawling.
- Different impacts are from local weather change which impacts water currents, temperature, and meals availability.
- Air pollution additionally impacts ocean life and is at the moment a particular subject on the KZN coast; microplastics, industrial effluent, runoff from agricultural farms, sewage, noise air pollution, and extra.
Satan Ray Conservation Dives
Carpenter has generally seen fevers (teams) of 10 to twenty satan rays, extending as much as 200 in a bunch at a time Nevertheless, these rays might be very shy and it’s important that the divers don’t impression these websites. With the help of the Rufford Basis, Carpenter has given native talks throughout the group and surveyed stakeholders to develop a satan ray dive. This features a Code of Conduct taught and led by native dive masters.
The dive masters skilled to guide Satan Ray Conservation Dives will temporary divers on the fundamental biology and conservation of shortfin satan rays. Divers will even obtain a complimentary Mobula ray hand-knitted plushie, contributing to an area college having extra marine biology-based actions. A small donation will even be made to the Clansthal Conservancy which has a monitoring programme of Aliwal Shoal, in addition to contributing to acoustic telemetry analysis of satan rays to find out their actions in and outdoors MPA.
This upcoming December 2022-February 2023 season, The Satan Ray Conservation Dive is obtainable by ScubaXcursion Dive Centre and ScubaCo Diving & Journey at a value of R200 greater than the dive centre’s Reef Dive Value.
Any further native dive centres excited about providing the Satan Ray Conservation Dive can contact Carpenter at [email protected] to arrange the Satan Ray Conservation Dive for the next season (December 2023-February 2024).
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