This week’s critter is one of the most intelligent animals in the ocean. Te whai rahi, the giant oceanic manta ray, has a brain to body mass ratio similar to our own and is one of the only fish that can recognise itself in the mirror.
Te whai rahi are long-lived, slow to breed, and only give birth to a single pup every 2–5 years. This slow and steady approach means they struggle to recover from the impact of fishing and are now listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.
Photo: Manta Watch NZ images - Image credit Lydia Green
