Marine biodiversity

Biodiversity It is a word for differences.It can also be called biological diversity.

There are some differences,male & female, shape, colour, species,size,and many more.This can be on land,sea,and sky.it is very important for planet earth,so we have to protect it. 

 

Marine biodiversity is the same as biodiversity but only for marine species.This is very important to Aotearoa because we are an island and we are surrounded by water so we have to protect it,for example the giant manta ray is suffering from us so we need to help marine biodiversity.

  

The giant manta ray is a threatened marine species. Their statistics are”around 100 to 1,500 individuals”{NOAA fisheries} there could be more but there aren't because of by catch/commercial fishing.

They are filter feeders that means they do have teeth but they are more like a filter,that also will make them eat microplastics thinking it plankton their food and get sick,and die,and worse they only have one pup every 2 to 3 years and not that often twins.one microplastics can take up to “hundreds or thousands of years to decompose”{NG NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC} Microplastics are a tiny plastic that mostly the pollutants the sea and fish and other marine animals including giant manta ray. 

 

Giant manta rays sometimes do summer salts/barrel roll in the water when feeding to maximise their food intake.to aid their filters they have flaps called cephalic lobes they help because they make more water go into their filter so they get more food.

Giant manta rays can grow up to a “wingspan of 88m [29 feet] and wide and weights up to 2,404 kg [5,300 pounds]” {oceana}

3 fun facts about giant manta rays

Manta rays have three paired appendages,two wing-like pectoral fins,two sets of gills and funnel in the water so manta rays are the only vertebrate animals that have these things. 
Giant manta rays and other manta rays are 100% harmless.
 Manta Rays Are Covered In A Mucous Film.
Manta rays have to swim to stay alive.
They can dive more than 1,000 m under water but they usually feed 10m deep.
What you can do to help

 

Small things you can do:

Don't litter 
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Ask for help
Bigger things you can do:

Donate to manta ray watch
 Learn more about giant manta rays by subscribing to manta ray watch and get their newsletter.
Giant things you can do:

Adopt a manta ray on manta ray watch.
Volunteer to manta ray watch
Do a beach clean

 

 

Marine biodiversity is very important so if it no longer is a thing there might not be any biodiversity at all.

We must protect our seas! it is not too late to save our seas we must act now.