Huge Manta Ray Seen Near St. Petersburg
SINGAPORE - JANUARY 18: A woman takes a photograph of a Manta Ray at Resort World Sentosa's Marine Life Park, January 18, 2013 in Singapore. The Marina Life Park is Resort World Sentosa's newest attraction and is the world's largest aquarium, with 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species housed in 45 million litres of water. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Manta rays are the biggest rays in the rays family.
The world’s largest ray was spotted just 50 feet away from the shores of St. Petersburg.
Michael McCarty is with the See Through Canoe Company. He recently spotted a giant manta ray near St. Petersburg. He even grabbed some video. He said, “Even though I spend a lot of time on the water, this is the first manta ray I’ve seen here in the St Pete area. I’ve seen them in other parts of Florida, but never so close to shore.”
How big can manta rays get? 29 feet (wingspan). You’ll find them in oceanic waters and within bays and intercoastal waterways. They have quite a temperature range in which they can thrive, between 66.2 degrees and as much as 86 degrees.
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