Young toddlers often choose strange friends for themselves. Some have even dreamed about friends. not, however, the young man in this footage. A gentle giant manta ray is his favorite friend.
At a Canary Island port, his special interaction with the enormous marine monster was caught on camera.
In the northwest of Africa is this stunning subtropical archipelago, where tourists may see an abundance of fish and rays in the coastal waters.
Rays gather daily at this series of stone steps by the shore, where the local fisherman dump their leftovers and rejects.
Numerous aquatic animals in the region have come to depend on the delicious leftovers as their free meal.
On this particular day, the youngster was captured on camera feeding his friend, an amiable manta ray that he often visits for a small treat.
The ray even accepts the boy’s caressing with calmness as he approaches the stairs to grab the food from his friend’s hand.
You might almost believe that the pair was embracing and enjoying one other’s presence with tenderness. The ray was very trusting and flapped its huge wings to try to get closer to him as the youngster fed it.
Considering that manta rays are known to be kind and harmless, it’s not all that surprising. They are thought to be smarter than the majority of aquatic animals, and they often show a great deal of interest in people.
The biggest species of stingrays are manta rays. They may reach a width of almost 20 feet and weigh up to 3,000 pounds! Although they don’t usually act violently, like other animals, they will defend themselves if they feel threatened or afraid.
Very few stingray deaths have been documented. An regular dome has a far higher chance of injuring you.