Rare giant manta ray sighted off Phang Nga
“We rarely see manta rays of this size around here, and I’m so glad to have seen one.”
A rare five metres wide giant manta ray has been spotted near Koh Ta Chai, north of the Similan Islands group, off Phang Nga province. The photos came from Somporn Kaewmaneechote, a diving instructor with Sea Turtle Diver Company.
Somporn said the ray was spotted yesterday morning (November 10) while he was taking a group of divers to explore the underwater landscape near Koh Ta Chai at a depth of around 26 meters, according to The Nation.
“When we were coming back up to the depth of 18 metres, we saw a giant manta ray about four or five metres wide passing in front of us, giving us an opportunity to snap a photo of it.”
Ruamsin Manajongprasert, Head of Similan Islands National Park, said that Koh Ta Chai has been closed to tourists since 2016 to rehabilitate the ecosystem after the high volume of tourist boats had damaged the coral reef around the island.
“The reef has now begun to heal itself.”
“Local citizens have been cleaning the beach, which helps reduce the deaths of sea animals caused by eating marine debris.”
Koh Ta Chai was reopened earlier this year, and there have been report of rare sea animal sightings including dolphins, whale sharks, shark rays and manta rays.
SOURCE: The Nation
