Scientists from the ECOAQUA institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Loro Parque, Loro Parque Fundación, Poema del Mar and Rays of Paradise mark specimens on the beaches of Gran Canaria and Tenerife
Scientists from the ECOAQUA instituteECOAQUA institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Loro Parque, Loro Parque Fundación, Poema del Mar, and Rays of Paradise have tagged five specimens of manta rays on the beaches of Tenerife and Gran Canaria over the past week. This action is carried out within the framework of CanBio's BioMar subproject, and is aimed at obtaining better information on the biology of the animals, as well as gaining a deeper knowledge of the populations of manta rays in the Canary Islands. This is an action that has been underway for five years, during which 123 specimens have already been tagged.
‘We have quite a few tagged mantellas, and each year a new one is added. This type of campaign provides us with more information,’ explains David Jimenez, head of the BioMAR Mantelinas project, who also highlights the importance of the CanBio initiative for monitoring endangered species.
Mantelina populations have experienced a sharp decline as a result of the fishing pressure exerted over the last 50 years, especially in places where trawls are used. The fact that this type of gear is not used in the Canary Islands has made it one of the places where populations are best conserved within their distribution area, which covered the entire temperate and tropical coasts of the Atlantic Ocean.
The professionals from Poema del Mar and Loro Parque, together with researchers from the ULPGC have been able to develop a minimally invasive biological procedure that includes measuring, weighing, and an ultrasound scan to check their state of gestation. In addition to this, a biopsy is performed to obtain genetic information about the species, which is the process used to implement the acoustic tag. The experience and knowledge of the scientists of both entities allows this procedure to be carried out in a minimally invasive way, in an interval of no more than eight minutes.
‘We are used to working with this species under human care. That is why all the stress and risk involved is minimised and the time spent is much less’, explains Ángel Curros, director of Biology at Poema del Mar.
The tagging is carried out in shallow waters off the coasts of the archipelago. One of the findings of the research suggests that these are the places chosen by the manta rays to reproduce at the end of the summer.
The use of these acoustic transmitters enables the individual identification of butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela) specimens, as the sounds emitted can be captured both by fixed stations and by reception systems installed on conventional or autonomous vessels.
This activity is part of BioMAR, one of the initiatives of the CanBIO Project, which aims to improve information on the effects of climate change on populations of critically endangered marine species. Rays of Paradise and a team of researchers from the Ecoaqua University Institute, part of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, are collaborating in the mantelin conservation project.
Source: Loro Parque.