A pair of divers were able to lend a helping hand to an entangled manta ray off the coast of Costa Rica recently, likely saving its life in the process.
While exploring an area off the Batt Islands area, Thomaz Monteiro and Flavia Passaglia (visiting from Brazil) and Brian Thompson (from Canada) were approached by the manta, which was heavily entangled in fishing line. According to them, the manta seemed to be pleading for help, and moved into a position where the divers were able to cut the line free.
The video below tells the story of what took place:
Manta rays can weigh as much as 5,000 pounds and have a wingspan up to 18 feet. They are the largest species of ray, and scientists believe they have the largest brain of all fish species. Mantas are filter feeders, subsiting on plankton and other small organisms, like fish larvae which they filter out of the water using their branchail gill plates. They have a lifespan of about 20 years.