Monstrous stingrays up to 10 FEET long are tagged in the wild for the first time trends now
Approximately 11 monstrous stingrays measuring up to 10 feet long were tagged in the wild by divers, allowing them to see the wondrous world of the critically endangered species.
The mission revealed these elusive smalleye rays can dive more than 650 feet below the surface and swim hundreds of miles per day - facts not previously known to the scientific community.
Smalleye rays have only been previously studied through images, but the tagging is expected to produce new information that could lead to better protection for the species.
The program will take years to gather and analyze enough data to understand these creatures, but the National Geographic explorers who tagged the rays told NatGeo that it 'promises a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of a mysterious species.
Smalleye stingrays are the largest species of their kind. These monstrous creatures can grow up to 10 feet long, with a stinger that measures the same as a human arm
The smalleye, given its name because of its raisin-sized eyes, has a wingspan that stretches over seven feet, weighs up to 790 pounds and is distinguished from other rays by the white dorsal spots on its back.
Using this criteria, scientists have been able to examine photo IDs to study this rare animal in southern Mozambique, one of the only locations where it is regularly seen.
While most stingrays avoid humans, the smalleye appears inquisitive, sometimes swimming within feet of scuba divers.
Before the early 2000s, there were only a few verified live sightings of smalleye stingrays.
In the past fifteen years, biologist Andrea Marshall and
