Something else to wet your appetite:
This morning at 9:00 a.m., the Georgia Aquarium will announce to the media the addition of a manta ray to the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager gallery, built by The Home Depot. The addition of the female manta ray, Nandi, makes Georgia Aquarium the only aquarium in the United States to ever house a manta ray and one of only four aquariums in the world to display this species. Nandi joins us from uShaka Marine World in Durban, South Africa.
The addition of Nandi presents us with an amazing opportunity to further advance our mission of being an educational and entertaining institution of the highest standards. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that our guests leave here with a deeper appreciation for the ocean and aquatic animals than they had before. Nandi inspired hundreds of thousands of people in South Africa, and now we have the opportunity to elevate her as an ambassador for her species. Millions of people who may have never had the chance to see a manta ray will now have that chance at the Georgia Aquarium.
Nandi measures more than nine feet in disc width and weighs approximately 456 lbs. She was transported 9,000 miles on a chartered 747-200 aircraft from Durban, South Africa through Cape Verde, Africa, to Atlanta. The manta ray was under the care and supervision of Georgia Aquarium and uShaka Marine World professional staff and maintained by a highly advanced marine life support system.
The press release below will be sent to the media this morning. You can also learn more about
Nandiรยขรขโยฌรขโยขs history and her journey here on our Web site (
www.georgiaaquarium.org/nandi), as well as view videos and photographs documenting the move from South Africa to Atlanta. A list of FAQs is also below for your review. Please use these when speaking with our guests.
Manta Ray (Manta birostris) FAQs
1. Where did Georgia Aquariumรยขรขโยฌรขโยขs manta ray come from?
The Aquariumรยขรขโยฌรขโยขs manta ray, Nandi, was acquired from the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) in Durban South Africa, which is recognized globally for its research and education in marine conservation. SAAMBR also operates Sea World at uShaka Marine World.
2. How was Nandi initially acquired? Where?
Nandi was caught in May 2007 by the Natal Sharks Board (NSB) in the shark protection nets set along the Indian Ocean beaches near Durban, South Africa. A trained collections team from NSB rescued Nandi from the shark nets and transported her via road in a specially designed transport trailer. Nandi showed minimal superficial injury from the nets, was given antibiotics and placed in quarantine, where she quickly settled in and avoided the boundaries of her enclosure. At the time the Nandi was rescued, she had a disk width of about 8.3 feet (253 cm) and weighed about 246 lbs. (111.5 kg). For more details, visit
http://www.shark.co.za/news_june_2007.htm.
3. What organizations were involved in Georgia Aquariumรยขรขโยฌรขโยขs acquisition of the manta ray?
Georgia Aquariumรยขรขโยฌรขโยขs manta ray was acquired from the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR); the Natal Sharks Board (NSB), an organization that maintains shark nets to protect beaches along the Indian Ocean
4. How was the manta ray transported to Atlanta?
Georgia Aquarium used the same technology and similar equipment used to transport the whale sharks from Taiwan to Atlanta. Nandi made the 9,000-mile journey on a 747-200 aircraft from Durban, South Africa through Cape Verde to Atlanta. The manta ray was under the care and supervision of Georgia Aquarium and uShaka Marine World professional staff and maintained by a highly advanced marine life support system.
5. How long did the transport take?
The transport took about 30 hours from South Africa to Atlanta.
6. What kind of container and life support was used?
Georgia Aquarium used the same technology and similar equipment used to transport the whale sharks from Taiwan to Atlanta. Nandi was transported in a large transport unit, maintained by a highly advanced marine life support system.
7. Are there other manta rays found in U.S. aquariums?
Georgia Aquarium is the only aquarium in the U.S. to exhibit manta rays. This is the largest of all ray species.
8. What other facilities have manta rays on display, and how many are there?
As of August 23, 2008, there were three facilities displaying manta rays: Kaiyukan Aquarium Osaka, Japan (1 adult); Churaumi Aquarium Okinawa, Japan (3 adult, 1 neonate); and Atlantis Resort Bahamas (2 adult males).
9. What is the largest manta ray that has been kept in an aquarium?
The largest manta ray in an Aquarium had a disk width of approximately 16.4 feet (5 m).
10. How long have manta rays been kept in an aquarium environment? Were they released or did they pass away?
In Japan, manta rays have been managed in aquariums for nearly two decades. The Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan has had two manta rays bred and born in their facility. Atlantis Resort Bahamas cares for manta rays for up to two years before releasing them as the habitat is too narrow to maintain them at larger sizes.
11. What is the gender and size Nandi?
Nandi is a female. She weighs about 456 pounds (207 kg) and measures about nine feet (2.8 m) across.
12. How big will Nandi get?
There is no known maximum size for how big manta rays can grow. We expect Nandi to grow to be between 13-26 feet.
13. Is Ocean Voyager big enough for her?
Ocean Voyager is big enough for Nandi and is 2.5 times larger than the next largest facility that cares for manta rays.
14. What will Georgia Aquarium feed her? How will she be fed? How much will she eat per day?
The husbandry team has traveled to and spent time with teams from the Atlantis Resort, Churaumi Aquarium and Oceanario de Lisboa in Portugal (when they had a manta ray) learning how they have cared for manta rays. This care is very similar to that required for the whale sharks.
15. How fast do manta rays grow in an aquarium environment?
Mantas are born measuring about 4 to 4.5 feet across (1.2 - 1.4 m) on average, and within a year can grow to nearly 10 feet (3 m) wide. A manta ray born at Churami Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan, measured more than 6 feet across at birth.
16. At what size do manta rays become sexually mature?
It has been suggested that they need to be more than 13 feet (4 m) in disc width to reproduce, but to date, this part of their life history is not understood.
17. Have manta rays ever reproduced in an aquarium environment?
The Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan has had two manta rays bred and born in their facility, on March 14, 2007 and June 17, 2008.
18. If a manta ray has reproduced in an aquarium environment, did the offspring survive and for how long?
The first pup lived for three days. The second pup is still alive.
19. How will the manta rays get along with the whale sharks? With the other animals?
Based on the experiences of the Japanese, Bahamian and Portuguese aquariums, the manta ray gets along very well with its aquarium mates.
20. With what has occurred in the Ocean Voyager exhibit with the first two whale sharks, what precautions are in place for the manta ray?
There has been a husbandry and veterinary review of the acquisition and handling of Manta birostris in Ocean Voyager to ensure that the best environment and care is provided.
20. Can manta rays be a danger to divers or swimmers in the immersion program and vice versa?
Manta rays are filter feeders like the whale sharks. Also, they do not have a barb/spine at the base of their tail. They are not a danger to our team or guests. We do not expect the divers or swimmers in Ocean Voyager to impact the manta ray. Additionally, uShaka Marine World, where Nandi lived for the past year, had an immersion program and never had any issues with either Nandi or the participants having a negative impact on each other.
21. Are manta rays endangered?
They are included in the IUCN Red List as รยขรขโยฌร
โnear threatenedรยขรขโยฌรย.
22. Do we have a plan to have manta rays reproduce if the opportunity presents itself?
Yes.
23. If there is reproduction, what happens to the offspring?
Reproduction is far down the road, and we will reach a decision at a time when it is necessary.
24. Is there a plan to ever release Nandi?
The plan is to manage Nandi through her entire life at the Georgia Aquarium.
25. What preys on manta rays?
Large sharks, such as the tiger shark and the bull shark, along with humans and killer whales prey on manta rays.
26. Why is the Georgia Aquarium displaying a manta ray?
Manta rays are another incredible species that speaks to the open ocean environments of the world and can draw attention to the importance of stewardship and responsible use of natural resources.
