Have you ever heard of the Bowmouth Guitafish? I’m assuming not, because you don’t normally see them out in the wild. The Rhina ancylostoma, or commonly known as the bowmouth guitarfish, is a critically endangered species from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean.
Why? Because they get caught easily in fishnets, they struggle to survive human encroachment on their habitats, and some people even take the thorns off the top of their heads to make rings. It is also killed for its fins and meat, as said by Mozambique experience.
It is very sad to hear that a beautiful creature like this is fighting to not become extinct, and is suffering from lots of habitat loss, and suffers from commercial fisheries. Unfortunately, as said, this species is classified as endangered by the IUCN, and its population has declined by 80% in recent decades.
In a way, it is very surprising they are going extinct, because of the fact that they’ve been around for millions of years! Now, you may have been wondering, why haven’t I ever heard of these guys? Well, it might be because they are commonly referred to as Shark Rays, due to their appearance, a they have a flattened body and wing-like pectoral fins, like a ray, but also has a shark-like dorsal and tail. They look like a perfect combination of rays and sharks, but are actually in the ray family, due to their mouth and gills being on the underside of their body.
Now that you have also heard about their habitat loss, I bet you’re wondering where these guys like to hang. Well, these rays like to hang out close to shore, near the bottom of depths of 65ft or less, as said by the Seattle Aquarium, and they also tend to eat crustaceans and mollusks.
Another interesting fact about the bowmouth guitarfish is that adults can reach approximately 9.8 feet (3 m) in length and have a maximum weight of about 298 lbs. (135 kg), according to Georgia Aquarium.
Photo Taken at Seattle Aquarium
There are always ways to help an endangered species out, and how you can help this one out is by supporting Marine Conservation Organizations, spreading awareness, and reducing ocean pollution. Ways that you can help the ocean, which benefits all the sea creatures, are by conserving water, reducing pollutants, reducing waste, shopping wisely, reducing vehicle pollution, using less energy, fishing responsibly, and practicing safe boating.
If you want to see these beautiful creatures, then you can visit the Shedd Aquarium in Illinois and Newport Aquarium in Kentucky, as those are the closest aquariums to Indiana. Seattle Aquarium is also a big helper towards the bowmouth guitarfish, but they are farther away. Not only do they have the bowmouth, but they are also involved in conservation efforts for the critically endangered species.
If you care about the sea and all the creatures, it is highly suggested to help out in as many ways as you can, because these guys need your help. There are many more beautiful creatures that deserve to live and have a habitat in the open sea to live in.
Image credits: Wikipedia
