Indonesia established the world's largest stingray reserve

On February 21, Indonesia announced the establishment of the largest stingray reserve in the world with an area of ​​millions of square kilometers. The reserve promises to attract more tourists to the island nation.

>>>Video: Stingray flies like a bird on the sea

Indonesian law allows comprehensive protection of all aquatic species in the waters around the island nation in Southeast Asia, where there are frequent occurrences of the world's largest rays and sharks. .

International conservation groups praised Indonesia's actions and said that the stingray sanctuary would bring in millions of dollars in revenue as well as create a safe living environment for this species. Now stingrays in Indonesia are illegally hunted with an average price of 40 USD to 500 USD.

Many foreign tourists come to Indonesia every year to witness the sea with a variety of living species, including rays. The size of stingrays up to 7.5 meters makes it easy to detect on the water.

Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world that preserves both rays that live in oceans and coral reefs . Stingray populations regularly inhabit the island of Bali, the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia and offshore on the northwestern tip of New Guinea.

The reason why stingray thrives in Indonesia is that coral reefs and strong currents create favorable living conditions as well as abundant food sources from plankton.

Stingray is rated by scientists around the world as a friendly and intelligent creature. It has the largest brain compared to the body size ratio in all fish species.

Stingray can be easily hunted by humans if left unchecked. The number of drownings, particularly in Asia, has fallen sharply due to demand from the Chinese market, where rays have special effects in traditional medicine.

Indonesia established stingray conservation area with an area of ​​5.8 million km ² in the oceans. All forms of catching and exporting are strictly prohibited. A year earlier, the local government in Raja Ampat had a private stingray conservation area with an area of ​​46,000 km ² .

Indonesia has joined a group of stingray defending countries including Ecuador, the Philippines, New Zealand and Mexico. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, drowning species are very easy to extinct if over-hunted.