See the world's largest population of 'gentle underwater giants'

An all-female security team is working around the clock to track down manta rays in the Maldives, the world's largest population.

Not only have high-class resorts, Maldives also owns colorful coral reefs, which are home to many marine species, including the largest population of rays in the world.

The largest population of stingrays in the world.

Beth Faulkner, one of the manta rays in the area, said when she moved in Hanifaru Bay, Maldives, she estimated that there were about 100 rays right next to her.

Stingrays are a large marine creature, dubbed the "gentle giants" , despite being related to sharks. Unlike its "cousin" , stingrays do not cause fatal injuries, despite having a wingspan of up to 6 meters.

"They don't have venom, they don't have teeth, they can't do anything to hurt people. So they're absolutely amazing for swimming in the water," says Beth Faulkner .

Giant creature up to 6 meters in size.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global population of manta rays is decreasing mainly due to fishing, habitat degradation and global warming.

"Because they're slow-growing animals and it takes a long time for them to breed, this fishing pressure can deplete populations very quickly," says Beth Faulkner .

According to experts, it is difficult to determine exactly how many rays there are in the wild today, but the largest population has been recorded in the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean.

Beth Faulkner's team tracked and recorded more than 5,100 rays in the area.
Manta rays are one of the largest fish in the world, yet very little is known about them. The conservation team hopes to change that by studying these gentle giants.

Stingrays have different types of spots.

Beth Faulkner said: "Just like humans have fingerprints, rays have different patterns of spots. By photographing them, the team was able to track them without needing to be tagged, which limits further contact. emotions and make them less stressed."

A typical day for Beth Faulkner and her team begins with the collection of research equipment from the Manta Trust office, based at the Four Seasons Laanda Giraavaru resort.

Then, the four women headed out into the sea to look for rays where they congregated to feed. In addition to taking pictures of each individual, they will also perform ultrasounds on pregnant female stingrays, to monitor their health and collect measurements.

The aim is to gather detailed information about how rays live, survive and how they use their surroundings for evidence, demonstrating why we need to protect them.