Dear Mark,
One of the ocean’s most remarkable creatures is disappearing at an alarming rate – and they desperately need your help!
The majestic manta ray is in trouble. Weighing as much as a Toyota Prius with a wingspan twice the size of the largest bird, mantas are being overfished and pushed to the brink of extinction.
But you can help! The National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) is considering listing these amazing creatures under the Endangered Species Act, and they want your comments now.
Take action: Tell NMFS to recommend that mantas be protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Globally, populations are believed to have declined by at least 30%, but some manta populations have declined as much as 86%!
The main culprit driving the recent decline is demand for the mantas’ gill rakers, a part of their gills used to filter water and extract food, which can fetch nearly $300 apiece in Asian markets.
Other threats facing mantas include demand for the rays’ meat and skin, entanglement in fishing lines, loss of coral reef habitat and ocean pollution.
Tell NMFS: Mantas need greater protection now.
Thank you for helping to defend the wildlife we all love!
Sincerely,
Jamie Rappaport Clark
President, Defenders of Wildlife
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, LETTERS |
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 
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