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Manta rays are large planktivores that inhabit tropical and subtropical waters globally, which are generally oligotrophic (MARSHALL, COMPAGNO & BENNETT, 2009). Therefore, to meet their metabolic needs, manta rays need to locate pulses of zooplankton productivity. Similar to other tropical planktivores, such as leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea (HAYS et al., 2006) and whale sharks Rhincodon typus (ROHNER et al., 2015), manta rays aggregate where and when conditions result in elevated local productivity (DEWAR et al., 2008; ANDERSON, ADAM & GOES, 2011; Jaine et al., 2012). However, these productivity 'hotspots' are ephemeral in nature and often difficult for researchers to locate and characterise (HARRIS et al., 2020; HARRIS et al., 2021), which makes the direct study of planktivore feeding ecology challenging (SIMS, 2008; ROHNER et al., 2015).

Endangered leatherback sea turtles are known for their open-ocean migratory nature and nomadic foraging habits - traveling thousands of miles. But a CORNELL naturalist and his colleagues have discovered an area along the Mozambique coast that the turtles have made their permanent home, according to a study published in Nature's Scientific Reports, Nov. 25.

Hunted for its meat, 213-kg leatherback turtle slaughtered in North Sumatra.

Eggs from endangered sea turtle stolen from Thai beach.