Mobulas, a Wonder of the Gulf of California, Are Disappearing
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Summary
A new study has found that seven out of nine devil ray species, which can be found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, are close to extinction.
The Mobula ray is at particular risk, as it aggregating behavior brings them into coastal areas used by artisanal tuna fisheries.
Mobulas are fished for food in Latin America, while in African and Asian countries, its meat and gill plates are in high demand for medicinal use despite no scientific evidence for this.
They also face the threat of being caught as bycatch, as well as the impacts of climate change on the seas.
Researchers have formed the Mobula Conservation collaboration with fishermen to protect the rays, using tools such as implanted acoustic transmitters and drones to track and protect their habitats.
Palacios, one of the scientists who led a study into the issue, said that the Mobula ray is particularly endangered due to Mobula’s slow reproduction rate, with gestation periods of more than 12 months and seven to seven years between pregnancies.
In addition to the threats listed above, the Mobula ray’s critical habitats are not currently receiving adequate protection.
