![]() ![]() Yet, TCM peddlers used to promote them to breast-feeding new mothers (Guilford, 2014). They cause damage to vital organs of the body including the reproductive organs. Manta Rays’ gills contain arsenic cadmium and other lethal metals. A testimonial from a traditional medicine researcher at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Science in Beijing highlighted that even after reading many pharmacopoeias, none of them record the medical function of manta ray gills (Levin, 2016). However, all these claims are not proven through research. Value in Asian medicine Retailers of TCM claim that the manta gills are a time-tested panacea for modern ills and that they can increase the amount of breast milk, detoxify the blood, cure chickenpox, and clear a smoker’s lungs (Levin, 2016). I do agree with the quote from the save the mantas campaign that if there are no consumers, there will be no unnecessary slaughtering. What we can do is to educate TCM consumers about the medical claims of Manta rays being unverified, and avoid buying traditional medicines that contain ingredients of endangered animals such as manta ray gills, shark fin, pangolin, and many others. If the Manta rays are extinct, it probably will not cause a significant difference to the traffickers who are profit-driven and may well look for another source of wildlife for revenue. The demand was fuelled not only by a renaissance of tradition but by an unscrupulous network of traffickers looking for new ways to profit from the Chinese appetite for wildlife (Levin, 2016). Although Manta ray gills have never been officially recognized as traditional Chinese medicine, over the past decade the demand for manta ray gills has soared in the Chinese trade. They claimed that it would boost the immune system by reducing toxins and enhancing blood circulation although none of the purported medical claims are supported by any scientific proof or TCM texts (Platt, 2012). TCM practitioners used these “rakers” also known as peng yu sai, as an ingredient in soups. In the market that sells gill rakers, the thin filaments that manta rays used to filter food are sold for up to $500 per kilogram. However, gills of manta rays were not historically used for the purpose of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). However, what makes them highly vulnerable is the slow reproduction and their long life spans (Manta Ray, n.d.) Despite having conservation measures in place, demand for manta rays’ gill rakers has increased dramatically in Asian markets (Giant Manta Ray, n.d.). Its grill rakers – sponge-like tissue between their gills – are often used in traditional Chinese medicines. Manta rays are already threatened by target fishing, incidental capture and due to their gill rakers, the value of manta rays has increased in the international markets. ![]() They are often caught as bycatch, or unintended catch but are also susceptible to target fishing for their gill rakers (Bowman, 2021 ). The most significant threat to giant manta rays is commercial fishing. Manta rays are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN red list status. They swim with their mouths wide open, drawing in zooplankton and krill, which they sift through rows of tiny rakes that line their mouths called gill plates (Manta Rays, n.d.). Giant manta rays typically live alone or in small groups. ![]() The reef manta ray tends to live along coastlines in the Indo-Pacific whereas the giant oceanic manta ray lives in the world’s major oceans (Manta Rays, n.d.). There are two distinct species of manta rays, the reef manta ray, and the giant oceanic manta ray. The sea creatures live in tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters across the globe. Manta Rays are the largest species of rays in the world they are highly intelligent and dangerous. ![]()
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