The Giant Manta Ray
In The Giant Manta Ray, naturalist Steve Backshall comes across a giant manta ray in the ocean around Isla de la Plata in Ecuador. The giant oceanic manta ray can grow up to a maximum of 9 meters or 30 feet in length. This video is excerpted from BBC's Deadly 60, an award-winning nature and adventure show for kids in which narrator Steve Backshall has one mission: to travel the globe in search of 60 of the world's deadliest animals.
Lesson Express
Q: Why have so many giant manta rays made this island their home?
A: The waters from the deep wash up against the island and bring up food.
Q: What do you notice about the mobula rays?
A: They look like smaller versions of the giant manta rays and they swim in perfect formation.
Q: How do giant manta rays eat?
A: Using the long lobes at the front of their body, they funnel plankton toward their mouth and suck them down in a single mouthful.
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In Explore the Life of the Manta Ray, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how the manta ray moves through the ocean and how it feeds. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In Nightfall on the Coral Reef, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how animals survive on the coral reef at night. Watch how manta rays hunt at night. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet, a definitive documentary series diving into the mysterious depths of the sea to discover the natural history of the world’s oceans and the rarely seen marine life that reside there.
In The Ocean's Patient Predators, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights the behavior of ocean predators like manta rays and whitetip sharks, and their prey. These predators navigate the vast ocean, using senses like taste to locate food. Smaller fish, like pilot fish, benefit from the shark's hunting efforts. Even predators face challenges when hunting swift and agile prey, such as rainbow runners. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Beauty of Stormy Seas, narrator Sir David Attenborough uncovers the extraordinary sight of bioluminescent plankton that light up dark waters as sea life thrives with the change of seasons. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.