A poor manta ray was injured badly after being struck by a boat.
The video was recorded by our friend David Diez and posted on his Instagram account.
David says that he’s seen marine life in pretty bad shape after boat strikes, but never this bad.
Check out this video …
Vessel strikes occur when any type of boat crosses paths with marine life. Marine animals may be difficult for boat operators to see because a lot of times, they aren’t clearly visible from the surface. Even if the animal is visible, a vessel moving at high speeds may not have time to avoid a collision.
We’ve done stories about the endangered North Atlantic right whales that are especially vulnerable to vessel strikes due to their habitation routes and slow movement. Right whales are known to swim close to major ports that overlap with shipping lanes.
Sea turtles are also very vulnerable to vessel strikes because they bask near the water surface or come up to breathe.
One of the best ways to prevent vessel strikes on marine animals is to encourage responsible vessel practices. Understanding the distribution of marine animals — such as dolphins, seals, and whales — and sea turtles is also very important.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and shipping industry leaders to conduct outreach, collect vessel strike data, and coordinate aerial surveys and research programs to improve understanding and reduce the number of incidents.
We have to remember that the ocean is home to many animals and they don’t expect a vessel to harm them. We have to do better and act more responsibly if we’re going to keep them safe and that’s why we at Karmagawa and SaveTheReef are spreading the word. If we keep talking about this, there is a chance for us to learn and improve.
Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram so that we can keep you informed of ways to help.
Also … please spread our information so that your friends and family are kept aware.
Have them watch this powerful video …
The director of this video, Amir Zakeri, created a masterclass for anyone in the Karmagawa and SaveTheReef community who would like to tell visual stories about the causes they care about. If you’re interested, here’s 50% off.
All proceeds go to great causes, so don’t hesitate. Get started now!
What do you think about the damage this poor manta ray experienced? Leave a comment below.
(Cover image: magnusdeepbelow/Shutterstock)