Filtering Giants

Nature in Motion Winner

“‘Filtering Giants’ is a story about the whale sharks and manta rays that gather to feed on clouds of eggs produced during the mass spawning of snapper and tuna near Isla Mujeres in the Gulf of Mexico. Solitary,  docile, and highly migratory, whale sharks are the largest known fish reaching nearly 50 feet in length. Giant manta rays are the world’s largest species of ray, and can have a wingspan of more than 20 feet. Both  species filter-feed on krill, crustaceans, and small fish by sucking in water, passing it over their gills, and trapping the prey inside their mouths. They also feed on fish eggs during mass spawning events. How these  animals know when and where the fish will spawn is a mystery.”—Howard and Michele Hall