Some events in the ocean happen all the time but are very rarely seen by humans. So, when a manta ray researcher saw scarlet excrement streaming from a\u00a0manta ray\u2019s\u00a0behind, she was surprised.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve been filming this [New Zealand] population of oceanic manta rays<\/a> for four years and have only seen two mantas poo,\u201d says\u00a0Lydia Green<\/a>, founder and project director of Manta Watch Aotearoa New Zealand who had been filming the female manta as she cruised calmly through the water.<\/p>\n The ray rolled up her cephalic fins (the horn-like projections on her head) \u2013 this \u201cis usually an indication of a ‘change in mode’,\u201d explains Green \u2013 and two remoras (suckerfish) that were swimming with the manta moved to her rear end.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then, the manta released an enormous, red poo. \u201cThe poop is bright red due to the manta’s primary prey, krill,\u201d she explains. \u201cKrill<\/a>\u00a0have tiny red exoskeletons that are indigestible, and mantas eat upward of 20kg of krill per day!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n See the moment the manta ray poos. Credit: Lydia Green, Manta Watch NZ<\/p>\n This excrement wasn\u2019t just special because of how rare it is to see \u2013 this manta was cruising at the surface so she could see the red poop in all its glory. \u201cThe vibrant colour contrast of the poop against the water was awesome to film,\u201d she says, adding that \u201cthe poop trails looked white\u201d in her previous sightings.\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0bowel movement<\/a>\u00a0seemed to come out of nowhere, although there were clues. \u201cThe manta didn’t show any signs that it was about to do a massive poop!\u201d says Green. \u201cI had a hunch something was about to happen when the remoras enthusiastically made their way to the base of the manta ray’s tail.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Even more astoundingly, the\u00a0remoras<\/a>\u00a0then started feeding on the\u00a0faeces<\/a>. \u201cYou can see the remoras get into a bit of a feeding frenzy,\u201d says Green, who describes them \u201copening their mouths to try and eat as much poop as possible within this ‘fast food’ window of opportunity!\u201d<\/p>\n