Kakinada: Giant Manta Ray Weighing 300 Kgs Caught By Fisherman In Uppada

UPPADA: In a big fishing haul on Sunday, a giant manta ray weighing 300 kgs was caught by Andhra fishermen who went for deep-sea fishing in the Bay of Bengal at Uppada port in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Known as Kambala Teku in Telugu, the huge manta ray measured two metres in length and four metres in breadth.

The large catch had attracted the attention of those gathered on the beach after it was caught. The fishermen had to use a crane to lift it from the boat into the auto. They had a tough time transporting it to the market.  Around a dozen fishermen with the help of ropes had to bring it down. A trader named Venkanna purchased the manta ray for Rs 16,550.

The giant manta ray is an endangered species. The main threat to the giant manta ray is commercial fishing, with the species both targeted and caught as bycatch by fishermen. Not to be confused with the deadly stingray which can be lethal, the manta ray is a slow-growing, migratory animal and are sparsely distributed across the world. Manta rays are calm animals that are not predatory in nature. These gentle giants are filter feeders, gliding through the ocean feeding on microscopic plankton.

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