Manta ray born in captivity!

A manta ray was just born in captivity here! Together, we are rising to the challenge of long-term successful captive breeding!

The birth of a captive Manta ray was successful at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium for the second time. These are the details for our success.

Just-born baby manta swimming with divers in Kuroshio Sea Tank at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Manta ray (Manta birostris)
Manta rays (Manta birostris), are the largest rays in the world, the largest known specimen being about 6.7m (about 22 ft) wide, with a weight of about 2,000kg (about 4400 lb). They range throughout all tropical waters of the world, typically around coral reefs. Manta rays are filter feeders: they feed on plankton, such as fish larvae which they passively filter from the water passing through their gills as they swim. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the pioneer for keeping manta rays. Since 1988, our aquarium has the world-record for keeping mantas successfully. The first successful case of birth in captivity was here at the Aquarium in 2007. Unfortunately, the baby manta ray died just 4 days after birth.

• Birth day: June 17, 2008, 06:27 AM
• Birth place: Kuroshio Sea Tank (L27m x W35m x W10m, Volume 7,500m³) at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
• Baby: Male/ Width about 1.82m (about 6ft)
• Mother ID: No. 10/ Width 4.2m (about 13.8 ft)/ Weight 1,000 kg (about 2200 lb)/ Kept since August 3, 1998
• Father ID: No. 6/ Width 3.5m (about 11.5 ft)/ Weight 700 kg (about 1540 lb)/ Kept since May 25, 1992

Gestation period was 366 days, and the baby manta ray was immediately transferred to the safety of a large sea pen, 2km south of the Aquarium, for observation and feeding.

This successful birth of a manta ray is not only a celebration of the second case in the world, but also part of a splendid achievement to clarify the biology of manta rays, which is still cloaked in mystery.

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Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
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