00:00The mind of a primate, the body of a fish, the amazing intelligence of the manta ray.
00:06Hello and welcome to a dive into the depths of marine intelligence.
00:11Today, we'll explore one of the ocean's largest and most fascinating creatures, the manta ray.
00:17These peaceful giants are not only the largest rays in the world,
00:21but are also among the most intelligent animals on the planet.
00:25For years, intelligence was measured at sea by cetaceans.
00:29But the manta ray has rewritten the rules.
00:32The formula of intelligence.
00:35When scientists look for advanced intelligence, they often use the encephalization quotient, or EQ.
00:41This metric compares brain size to body size.
00:46A high EQ is the hallmark of advanced cognitive skills such as memory, learning, and social interaction.
00:53And the manta ray.
00:54Well, it has the highest brain-to-body ratio of all fish.
00:59Their EQ is so high that it brings them closer to the intelligence level of dolphins and some primates than to that of most marine life.
01:07This would explain why divers often describe them as curious, playful, and highly social.
01:12But the most shocking evidence of his complex mind came in a 2016 study.
01:19Researchers decided to administer a litmus test for animal cognition, the mirror self-recognition test.
01:26This test is a standard for measuring self-awareness.
01:28Two oceanic manta rays were observed in three scenarios, without a mirror, with a real mirror, and with a non-reflective board.
01:38The results were revealing when the real mirror was present.
01:43The stripes spent about 68% of their time in front of it.
01:47A massive jump compared to just 18% when there was no mirror.
01:52In addition, they displayed unusual behaviors, repetitive turns, and peculiar movements of their head fins.
01:59These patterns are similar to those observed in studies with primates, suggesting that the rays were not reacting to another animal, but could be exploring their own reflexes.
02:10A sign of self-awareness.
02:11Something rare in the world of fish.
02:14The urgent call for protection.
02:16This research radically changes our perception.
02:20Manta rays are much more than plankton-eating giants.
02:24They are complex, potentially self-aware animals with a rich social life.
02:28And it is precisely this level of intelligence that deepens the urgency of its protection.
02:34Manta rays are currently listed as vulnerable or endangered due to human impact.
02:39The threats are numerous.
02:41They are hunted for their gill-rakers for unscientific use in traditional remedies.
02:47They are also at risk from vessel strikes, bycatch, and habitat loss due to climate change.
02:53Their reproductive cycle is dramatically slow, giving birth to only one offspring every few years.
03:00This means that even a small increase in mortality can be devastating for their populations.
03:05Protecting the manta ray is protecting an amazing species and a rare example of advanced cognition that thrives in the fish world.
03:14His mind forces us to look at the ocean and ourselves in a whole new way.
03:19Money expires.
Comentarios