World Manta Day

 

Manta rays are among the largest rays in our oceans and play an important role in marine ecosystems. World Manta Day, observed every year on 17 September, aims to raise awareness about these remarkable animals, the threats they face, and the importance of their conservation.

The first World Manta Day was launched by the Manta Trust in 2020. This year’s theme, “COLLABORATION,” highlights the importance of bringing together scientists, conservation organisations, fishing communities, governments and the tourism sector to protect manta and devil rays.

Manta and devil rays belong to the family Mobulidae. This family includes the majestic manta rays and devil rays, with species differing in size, appearance and habitat. The Oceanic Manta Ray ( Mobula birostris ), also known as the giant manta ray, is one of the largest members of the family.

Despite their enormous size, manta rays are gentle filter feeders, feeding mainly on plankton and other tiny organisms. Their specialised feeding structures allow them to filter food from large volumes of seawater.

However, these remarkable animals face growing threats from fishing pressure, accidental capture as bycatch, and demand for their gill plates. Their slow growth and low reproductive rate also make them particularly vulnerable to population decline.

Sri Lanka is also important for manta and devil ray conservation. Research has documented high levels of mobulid bycatch in Sri Lankan fisheries, with thousands of individuals recorded across fishing landing sites. These findings highlight the importance of reducing fishing-related mortality, protecting important habitats and promoting responsible marine tourism.

This World Manta Day, let us learn more about these incredible ocean giants, share awareness and work together to protect their future.

Flyer-Poorna

Caption -Kusalani

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Some of the World’s Smallest Frogs Live in Sri Lanka!

 

Did You Know? 

Some of the World’s Smallest Frogs Live in Sri Lanka!

Hidden in Sri Lanka’s wet-zone forests, Pseudophilautus semiruber is a tiny endemic shrub frog measuring only about 15 mm in length. Despite its small size, it plays an important role in rainforest ecosystems by controlling tiny invertebrate populations and contributing to the food web.

A remarkable feature of this species is its direct development—the eggs develop directly into miniature froglets without a free-living tadpole stage.

As a species found nowhere else in the world, it is vulnerable to habitat loss, forest fragmentation, climate change, and other human activities. Protecting Sri Lanka’s forests means protecting these unique and often overlooked biodiversity treasures.

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The Immortal Jellyfish: Nature’s Remarkable Escape from Aging

The Immortal Jellyfish: Nature’s Remarkable Escape from Aging

A Journey Reversed

Meet Turritopsis dohrnii a creature smaller than a fingernail that challenges our fundamental understanding of life. While all animals follow a linear path from birth to death, this tiny marine animal has developed a biological loophole. It has the ability to grow old or become injured and, instead of dying, return to an earlier stage of its life.

How It Works: Transdifferentiation

This process is known as transdifferentiation. When the adult jellyfish (the medusa) faces stress, injury, or starvation, it stops moving and its body shrinks. It sinks to the seafloor and its bell and tentacles are reabsorbed, transforming into a cyst-like ball. This structure then develops into a polyp, which can subsequently produce new medusae, restarting the life cycle entirely. Scientists have observed captive populations rejuvenating themselves repeatedly.

Biological Immortality, Not Unkillable. It is important to note that Turritopsis dohrnii is biologically immortal , not impossible to kill. It can still be eaten by predators or succumb to disease. The key distinction is that it does not die from old age. Under favorable conditions, it can potentially repeat this rejuvenation process infinitely.

Studying this extraordinary process offers invaluable insights into aging, regeneration, and cellular reprogramming. Researchers are investigating how specialized cells can change their identity to become different cell types, a phenomenon that could hold clues for human health and medicine. This tiny creature reminds us that nature’s greatest mysteries are often hidden not in the largest organisms, but in the smallest ones.

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International Whale shark Day | August 30

 

International Whale shark Day | August 30

Every August 30th, the world marks International Whale Shark Day -not just to appreciate these sea giants, but to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect them.

Whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus ) are the largest fish in the world and are known as the gentle giants of the ocean because they are harmless to humans. 

They feed mainly on plankton and other tiny marine organisms, making them an important part of healthy marine ecosystems.

This special day was created to raise global awareness about their rapid decline worldwide. Threat factors like illegal hunting, marine plastic pollution, and boat collisions have pushed whale sharks onto the endangered species list. 

Whale sharks grow slowly, produce relatively few young, and migrate thousands of kilometres through tropical oceans, including the waters around Sri Lanka. Because of this, their populations recover very slowly once they decline.

Protecting these gentle giants is not only about saving a single species—it is about safeguarding marine biodiversity and the future of our oceans. 

On this International Whale Shark Day, let us all do our part by reducing plastic waste, supporting sustainable fishing, and spreading awareness about marine conservation.       

Save the gentle giants-Save our oceans 

Flyer Design -Maleesha

Caption Written- Wageesha

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World Lake Day

 

“Protecting lakes today means securing the world for tomorrow.”

Today, August 27, is World Lakes Day. A lake is a large body of standing water surrounded by land, located in a basin and separated from the ocean. It holds nearly 90% of the liquid freshwater on Earth’s surface and performs important functions such as regulating the climate, acting as a natural flood barrier, and providing habitats for nearly 100,000 species.

Freshwater lakes are rapidly deteriorating due to accelerated evaporation caused by global warming, as well as the entry of industrial waste, microplastics, and runoff from agricultural lands into water bodies. In addition, the growth of toxic algae, which threatens aquatic life, is also increasing.

Therefore, we must take immediate steps to protect our lakes. We can do this by using non-toxic household products, preventing plastic waste from entering catchment areas, supporting sustainable land-use policies, and protecting lake embankments.

So, let us protect lakes in every way we can and safeguard the world for future generations.

Flyer Design - Kithma

Caption written - Pasindu

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