'Like giant batmobiles': First aerial survey of New Zealand's manta ray population

[@TimLynchNZ]

Well done Lydia and team. So pleasantly surprised that there are so many intelligent super large mantas in the Gulf here around Auckland. Unfortunately, the commercial fishing industry has been captured by special interests in the NZ Government (or vice versa) - who are ecologically 'unconscious.' Let's trust that your video's and comprehensive data collecting will change enough minds within the greater constituency of NZ to protect these profound beings.

[@sidemountpros]

Awesome work. In 40+ years of diving in NZ, I've yet to encounter a Manta but would love to :)

[@annapclarke1293]

So cool! Thank you for doing the work that you do :) :)

[@W00IS-J]

Thanks government for choosing money over our nature.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

They are NOT our nature, they are immigrants.

[@bobdillon1138]

If they are anything like Stingray i bet they are tasty.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

They are exactly like stingray, that is all they are, a different kind of Chondrichthyes, which are all the sharks, rays, skates and the like. Go to the Caribbean, people eat the little ones. Been up there, talked to locals, the big ones are tough and kinda gamy they say. Same way that sharks are tasty when they are small and get strong tasting as they get big. And the toughness is probably like how shark is rubbery if you try to cook a big lump. You just need to cut the long fibers of the flesh by how you cut it up to cooking size.

[@scottmcchesney6187]

Stingrays are a beautiful fish. We have soo many fish in NZ with far superior eating quality. Why would yah!

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

@@scottmcchesney6187 Have you ever eaten one?. They have quite good eating qualities, and are quite tasty, and at one point about 25 years ago, their numbers grew quite a lot.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

"Globally endangered" . . . like the sea-leopard that has eaten all of the seals we use to have in Auckland's marinas ?. How did they make it into our waters, if they are endangered? endangered animals don't EXTEND their range to places they never were before.

[@huntah6150]

You really don't know anything about biology,

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

@@PaulG.x They are not being driven out of anywhere. There are MORE leopard seals now in the antarctic than there were 50 years ago, go check the official figures, clown.

[@benjibramah7088]

Also leopard seals aren't endangered, they are ranked at least concern by the IUCN

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

@@benjibramah7088 That might be so ( which, if you were capable of rational thought and English comprehension you would understand was WHAT I WAS SAYING . . . a-retard ) but that is not the claim of the government, which won't allow the animal to be killed. "Because it is locally endangered".

[@theherbilizer]

Don’t eat fish or you’re part of the problem