1 00:00:02,300 --> 00:00:05,600 - [Narrator] They are the birds of the sea, 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,500 gracefully batting their wings 3 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:11,733 as they glide through the water. 4 00:00:11,733 --> 00:00:14,833 Catching a glimpse of the majestic eagle ray 5 00:00:14,833 --> 00:00:18,700 is a highlight for boaters and divers alike. 6 00:00:18,700 --> 00:00:20,666 - [Patrick] It looks like they're flying 7 00:00:20,666 --> 00:00:24,933 and their spots really makes them stand out. 8 00:00:24,933 --> 00:00:26,966 - [Cecilia] I'm captivated by these rays. 9 00:00:26,966 --> 00:00:28,533 They're absolutely beautiful. 10 00:00:28,533 --> 00:00:32,200 They're incredibly strong swimmers. 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,400 - [Matt] You look at their wings, 12 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,766 I mean, it's just like all muscle. 13 00:00:36,766 --> 00:00:40,566 They can hang out in a five-knot current effortlessly. 14 00:00:40,566 --> 00:00:43,266 - [Ariadna] Their capacity of eating hard-shelled prey, 15 00:00:43,266 --> 00:00:45,333 that's amazing to me. 16 00:00:45,333 --> 00:00:49,733 (gentle music) 17 00:00:49,733 --> 00:00:51,400 - [Narrator] Found mostly in tropical 18 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,500 and subtropical waters, 19 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:56,666 eagle rays use a variety of habitats. 20 00:00:56,666 --> 00:00:58,533 - [Matt] They're on the reef, they're in the lagoon, 21 00:00:58,533 --> 00:01:00,133 they're in the shallowest of waters. 22 00:01:00,133 --> 00:01:02,433 - [Kim] There's five species of pelagic eagle rays 23 00:01:02,433 --> 00:01:03,933 around the world. 24 00:01:03,933 --> 00:01:07,133 The eagle ray that we have in the Atlantic Basin 25 00:01:07,133 --> 00:01:08,433 and here in the Gulf of Mexico 26 00:01:08,433 --> 00:01:11,500 is the whitespotted eagle ray. 27 00:01:11,500 --> 00:01:13,833 (gentle music) 28 00:01:13,833 --> 00:01:15,533 - [Narrator] The whitespotted eagle ray 29 00:01:15,533 --> 00:01:17,400 is listed as endangered 30 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:22,233 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 31 00:01:22,233 --> 00:01:26,200 - [Matt] However, looking at distinct portions of its range, 32 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,566 that status changes, right? 33 00:01:28,566 --> 00:01:34,233 So actually in U.S. waters, the species is of least concern. 34 00:01:34,233 --> 00:01:36,400 As you move through Central and South America, 35 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,966 it changes dramatically. 36 00:01:38,966 --> 00:01:41,033 - [Kim] Because in certain places around the world, 37 00:01:41,033 --> 00:01:44,166 they're taken in fisheries. 38 00:01:44,166 --> 00:01:45,666 - [Narrator] Despite their designation 39 00:01:45,666 --> 00:01:47,800 as globally endangered, 40 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,633 relatively little is known about the eagle rays' ecology 41 00:01:51,633 --> 00:01:53,433 and life history. 42 00:01:53,433 --> 00:01:55,866 - [Kim] Rays have been very under the radar. 43 00:01:55,866 --> 00:01:59,300 And so we like to say we're gonna start a rayvolution. 44 00:01:59,300 --> 00:02:01,700 - [Narrator] Protected in Florida and Bermuda, 45 00:02:01,700 --> 00:02:05,966 these locations make for great study sites of the animals. 46 00:02:05,966 --> 00:02:07,433 - [Cecilia] We're trying to figure out 47 00:02:07,433 --> 00:02:10,300 what the feeding behavior and the movement behavior 48 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:12,500 of these rays is like. 49 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:15,433 - [Kim] And we're learning so much more about them 50 00:02:15,433 --> 00:02:16,933 every day, 51 00:02:16,933 --> 00:02:19,333 and we need that data for conservation and management. 52 00:02:19,333 --> 00:02:20,966 - [Researcher 1] No tag. - [Researcher 2] No tag? 53 00:02:20,966 --> 00:02:22,666 - [Narrator] What are scientists learning 54 00:02:22,666 --> 00:02:25,566 about whitespotted eagle rays? 55 00:02:25,566 --> 00:02:29,800 And how is technology aiding them in this process? 56 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:52,566 (dramatic music) 57 00:02:52,566 --> 00:02:54,533 - [Announcer] Major funding for this program 58 00:02:54,533 --> 00:02:57,666 was provided by The Batchelor Foundation, 59 00:02:57,666 --> 00:03:00,433 encouraging people to preserve and protect 60 00:03:00,433 --> 00:03:03,600 America's underwater resources. 61 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,700 Additional funding was provided by Trish and Dan Bell 62 00:03:07,700 --> 00:03:10,333 and by the Parrot Family Endowment 63 00:03:10,333 --> 00:03:14,233 for Environmental Education. 64 00:03:14,233 --> 00:03:20,333 (gentle music) 65 00:03:20,333 --> 00:03:23,500 - [Narrator] Sarasota, on Florida's Gulf Coast, 66 00:03:23,500 --> 00:03:26,333 is home to Mote Marine Laboratory, 67 00:03:26,333 --> 00:03:30,866 where Kim Bassos-Hull has been conducting eagle ray research 68 00:03:30,866 --> 00:03:33,266 since 2009. 69 00:03:33,266 --> 00:03:35,966 (gentle music) 70 00:03:35,966 --> 00:03:37,166 - We're trying to document 71 00:03:37,166 --> 00:03:38,700 what are important habitats for them, 72 00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:40,600 what size classes we're seeing. 73 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:41,900 And then when we do see them, 74 00:03:41,900 --> 00:03:43,766 we set a big seine net around them. 75 00:03:43,766 --> 00:03:45,066 And that allows us 76 00:03:45,066 --> 00:03:48,233 to at least have them in a controlled circled net 77 00:03:48,233 --> 00:03:50,066 that then allows our divers to go in 78 00:03:50,066 --> 00:03:52,966 and get them and bring them on board. 79 00:03:52,966 --> 00:03:55,300 (playful music) 80 00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:57,066 - You got her now, Kim? 81 00:03:57,066 --> 00:04:02,433 (playful music) 82 00:04:02,433 --> 00:04:04,333 - [Narrator] Extra care needs to be taken 83 00:04:04,333 --> 00:04:06,733 to avoid an accidental sting 84 00:04:06,733 --> 00:04:10,766 by one of the venom-coated barbs near the animal's tail. 85 00:04:10,766 --> 00:04:12,600 - [Kim] It's a female. 86 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,666 - [Narrator] And each animal is checked 87 00:04:14,666 --> 00:04:18,666 for a so-called PIT tag. 88 00:04:18,666 --> 00:04:20,100 - And those PIT tags 89 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:23,066 are similar to the microchips we put in your pets, 90 00:04:23,066 --> 00:04:24,766 like your dogs and your cats. 91 00:04:24,766 --> 00:04:26,033 So if it doesn't have a tag, 92 00:04:26,033 --> 00:04:28,633 it means it has not been caught before. 93 00:04:28,633 --> 00:04:30,800 So we then put a PIT tag in, 94 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,633 and it allows us to detect if we've had a recapture 95 00:04:33,633 --> 00:04:35,166 months or years down the line. 96 00:04:35,166 --> 00:04:37,366 Then the next thing we do is we take a genetics clip. 97 00:04:37,366 --> 00:04:38,966 Those are really important for us 98 00:04:38,966 --> 00:04:41,366 to look at population structure. 99 00:04:41,366 --> 00:04:42,833 - [Researcher 1] 8.5. 100 00:04:42,833 --> 00:04:44,366 - [Researcher 2] 8.5, okay. 101 00:04:44,366 --> 00:04:48,233 - [Narrator] The team also weighs and measures each ray. 102 00:04:48,233 --> 00:04:51,366 - [Researcher] 54.2. 103 00:04:51,366 --> 00:04:53,133 - [Narrator] And collects a series of samples 104 00:04:53,133 --> 00:04:57,166 to study its blood and microbiome. 105 00:04:57,166 --> 00:05:01,433 Next, they take photographs of the animal. 106 00:05:01,433 --> 00:05:03,133 - [Kim] Spotted eagle rays have unique spot patterns 107 00:05:03,133 --> 00:05:07,933 and that allows us to do photo ID and create a catalog 108 00:05:07,933 --> 00:05:12,366 and keep track of them over time. 109 00:05:12,366 --> 00:05:13,766 - [Researcher] Little male. 110 00:05:13,766 --> 00:05:15,200 - [Narrator] To study the eagle ray's 111 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,400 movements and habitat use, 112 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,700 the researchers also implant an acoustic tag 113 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:24,100 in the animal's abdominal cavity. 114 00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:26,333 - When you turn a shark or a ray upside down, 115 00:05:26,333 --> 00:05:28,566 they calm down and they go into almost, 116 00:05:28,566 --> 00:05:30,766 we like to say a trance-like state, 117 00:05:30,766 --> 00:05:34,633 that's when we perform this acoustic tag surgery. 118 00:05:34,633 --> 00:05:38,266 Most stitches heal within, you know, a series of days. 119 00:05:38,266 --> 00:05:42,266 And acoustic tags are passive coded transmitters 120 00:05:42,266 --> 00:05:45,466 that work within a system of receivers 121 00:05:45,466 --> 00:05:47,333 that are out in the environment. 122 00:05:47,333 --> 00:05:49,000 These receivers can receive 123 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,866 that unique coded tag signal to them 124 00:05:51,866 --> 00:05:55,500 and allow us to look at how the animals move. 125 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:58,000 We strategically place those receivers, 126 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,800 for instance at creek mouths, throughout the bay, 127 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,633 and we have them in all of our passes 128 00:06:03,633 --> 00:06:06,066 between the estuary out to the Gulf of Mexico, 129 00:06:06,066 --> 00:06:07,366 'cause we wanna see 130 00:06:07,366 --> 00:06:09,800 if animals are going in and outta the estuary. 131 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:10,966 And then we have a series 132 00:06:10,966 --> 00:06:13,166 that are like curtains along the coast, 133 00:06:13,166 --> 00:06:14,966 so if animals swim up and down the coast, 134 00:06:14,966 --> 00:06:17,200 we can catch them in our curtain gate. 135 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:18,633 And then we have ones all the way 136 00:06:18,633 --> 00:06:21,700 to about 50 miles offshore. 137 00:06:21,700 --> 00:06:23,966 So if our rays swim outside of our array 138 00:06:23,966 --> 00:06:26,033 within like say the Sarasota area, 139 00:06:26,033 --> 00:06:30,033 they go into other researchers' arrays. 140 00:06:30,033 --> 00:06:34,600 (gentle music) 141 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,766 - [Narrator] Kim and her team manage 80 receivers 142 00:06:37,766 --> 00:06:40,700 that are part of larger networks of receivers 143 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:44,900 that cover the entire state of Florida and beyond. 144 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:48,566 Scientists studying the movements of all kinds of fish 145 00:06:48,566 --> 00:06:52,033 maintain receivers along different parts of the networks 146 00:06:52,033 --> 00:06:55,700 and share recorded data with each other. 147 00:06:55,700 --> 00:06:57,500 - So we've learned a lot about migration patterns 148 00:06:57,500 --> 00:06:58,433 of the eagle rays, 149 00:06:58,433 --> 00:07:00,300 because of the shared data. 150 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:03,566 (water splashing) 151 00:07:03,566 --> 00:07:05,433 - [Narrator] To access the information, 152 00:07:05,433 --> 00:07:07,566 researchers need to pull up the receivers 153 00:07:07,566 --> 00:07:12,066 at regular intervals and download the data. 154 00:07:12,066 --> 00:07:13,400 - It's like Christmas for us. 155 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,366 Like what ray have we seen that we've tagged 156 00:07:15,366 --> 00:07:16,566 and when did we tag it? 157 00:07:16,566 --> 00:07:17,900 - [Narrator] Kim and her team 158 00:07:17,900 --> 00:07:21,166 discovered that the rays are in the Sarasota area 159 00:07:21,166 --> 00:07:24,000 between March and October. 160 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,066 - The beauty of the acoustic tagging 161 00:07:26,066 --> 00:07:28,100 is we have learned where those rays go 162 00:07:28,100 --> 00:07:29,500 during those winter months. 163 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:31,766 They go south, they go down to Charlotte Harbor, 164 00:07:31,766 --> 00:07:33,566 they go down to the Florida Keys. 165 00:07:33,566 --> 00:07:36,700 We even had one of our rays go as far as Cancun, 166 00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:38,800 like off the coast of Mexico. 167 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,700 We wanna understand what are the drivers of movement. 168 00:07:41,700 --> 00:07:44,000 Are they going for social reasons? 169 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,166 Are they leaving because of a certain temperature? 170 00:07:46,166 --> 00:07:47,866 Is it food driven? 171 00:07:47,866 --> 00:07:50,666 We found that the migration patterns 172 00:07:50,666 --> 00:07:52,366 on the east coast versus west coast rays 173 00:07:52,366 --> 00:07:53,933 were very different. 174 00:07:53,933 --> 00:07:56,500 East coast rays, where there's less temperature variation, 175 00:07:56,500 --> 00:08:00,033 seem to stay in the Indian River Lagoon year-round. 176 00:08:00,033 --> 00:08:01,333 Only when a cold front came, 177 00:08:01,333 --> 00:08:03,433 did they go offshore into the Atlantic. 178 00:08:03,433 --> 00:08:10,000 (playful music) (boat engine roaring) 179 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,600 - [Narrator] Kim closely collaborates 180 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,066 and his team of researchers at FAU Harbor Branch 181 00:08:15,066 --> 00:08:19,333 in Fort Pierce, on Florida's east coast. 182 00:08:19,333 --> 00:08:20,666 - When we started this work off, 183 00:08:20,666 --> 00:08:24,066 the Atlantic coast was pretty much, you know, 184 00:08:24,066 --> 00:08:25,533 an empty basket, right? 185 00:08:25,533 --> 00:08:28,300 We had no information. 186 00:08:28,300 --> 00:08:30,066 - One of the things that we're interested in, 187 00:08:30,066 --> 00:08:31,433 as a driver of movement, 188 00:08:31,433 --> 00:08:35,200 is what food and what prey resources are available. 189 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,800 - [Narrator] Eagle rays feed on clams and snails 190 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,866 that live on the seafloor. 191 00:08:39,866 --> 00:08:44,533 To get at the meat, they crunch the shells like a nutcracker. 192 00:08:44,533 --> 00:08:46,900 - [Matt] You have teeth that are fused together 193 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:48,266 as one plate, 194 00:08:48,266 --> 00:08:49,600 a top and a bottom one. 195 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,200 - Almost like a conveyor belt of teeth 196 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,866 that they're able to take these hard-shelled prey 197 00:08:54,866 --> 00:08:56,466 and crush them. 198 00:08:56,466 --> 00:08:59,233 And the coolest thing is that they spit out the shell parts 199 00:08:59,233 --> 00:09:02,233 and only ingest the meaty parts. 200 00:09:02,233 --> 00:09:03,733 - [Narrator] The bottom tooth plate 201 00:09:03,733 --> 00:09:08,100 has a pointed spade tip at the end, just like a shovel. 202 00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:10,766 - [Kim] They can like dig into the sand or dig into the mud, 203 00:09:10,766 --> 00:09:12,566 'cause some of their prey, such as clams, 204 00:09:12,566 --> 00:09:13,700 actually bury themselves. 205 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:15,833 They might be down like six inches. 206 00:09:15,833 --> 00:09:17,333 - [Narrator] It's difficult to analyze 207 00:09:17,333 --> 00:09:19,900 the amount and type of the rays' prey 208 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:22,333 by looking at their stomach contents, 209 00:09:22,333 --> 00:09:24,700 since the shells have been removed. 210 00:09:24,700 --> 00:09:27,700 So the researchers devised a unique method 211 00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:29,700 to study the animals' diet. 212 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:32,666 - [Kim] We did a short-term capture of the rays 213 00:09:32,666 --> 00:09:34,066 and brought them in. 214 00:09:34,066 --> 00:09:35,866 We have specialized research tanks here at Mote, 215 00:09:35,866 --> 00:09:38,500 and then we were able to feed them a variety of diet 216 00:09:38,500 --> 00:09:39,966 of their wild prey. 217 00:09:39,966 --> 00:09:41,566 And the reason that we did that 218 00:09:41,566 --> 00:09:45,200 is we wanted to understand the different acoustic properties 219 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:46,433 of when they're eating 220 00:09:46,433 --> 00:09:47,533 these prey items. (clam crushing) 221 00:09:47,533 --> 00:09:49,766 So when they're eating a clam, 222 00:09:49,766 --> 00:09:51,166 it sounds very different 223 00:09:51,166 --> 00:09:53,433 from when they're eating, for instance, a snail. 224 00:09:53,433 --> 00:09:55,166 - And we've recorded 225 00:09:55,166 --> 00:09:57,633 hundreds and hundreds of feeding events there 226 00:09:57,633 --> 00:10:01,333 from many different individuals of eagle rays. 227 00:10:01,333 --> 00:10:03,000 - [Narrator] Using AI, 228 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,266 the researchers trained a computer to 229 00:10:07,266 --> 00:10:09,833 - We've already found that we can tell differences 230 00:10:09,833 --> 00:10:13,166 between spotted eagle ray predation on a clam 231 00:10:13,166 --> 00:10:17,200 or a conch or a nerite. 232 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,533 - And our next step is to take that exciting research 233 00:10:19,533 --> 00:10:20,800 out to the wild. 234 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,333 (lively music) 235 00:10:23,333 --> 00:10:26,466 - [Narrator] To do so, the team traveled to Bermuda, 236 00:10:26,466 --> 00:10:28,866 where they work closely with their colleagues 237 00:10:28,866 --> 00:10:32,233 at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. 238 00:10:32,233 --> 00:10:36,666 (lively music) 239 00:10:36,666 --> 00:10:39,766 - It's one of the longest running aquariums in the world. 240 00:10:39,766 --> 00:10:42,500 And then we also have our Natural History Museum. 241 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:43,766 - That's its main function, really, 242 00:10:43,766 --> 00:10:46,000 to get people to understand what Bermuda is 243 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,633 in terms of its natural history. 244 00:10:47,633 --> 00:10:50,333 But the other roles we have are really to support research. 245 00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:56,533 (boat engine starting) (gentle music) 246 00:10:56,533 --> 00:10:57,833 (boat engine roaring) (water splashing) 247 00:10:57,833 --> 00:11:00,500 - [Narrator] The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo 248 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:02,966 is located on Harrington Sound, 249 00:11:02,966 --> 00:11:05,300 which is frequented by the rays. 250 00:11:05,300 --> 00:11:07,500 - All of our previous studies have shown 251 00:11:07,500 --> 00:11:08,900 that they spend lots of time in there, 252 00:11:08,900 --> 00:11:12,466 often several months continuously. 253 00:11:12,466 --> 00:11:15,533 - We're trying to figure out what the feeding behavior 254 00:11:15,533 --> 00:11:18,733 and the movement behavior of these rays is like. 255 00:11:18,733 --> 00:11:20,900 How they spend their day versus their night, 256 00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:23,466 where, when, and what they like to eat, 257 00:11:23,466 --> 00:11:25,933 and how much they're affecting the animals 258 00:11:25,933 --> 00:11:28,700 that live in the sound. 259 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:29,966 - [Narrator] The aquarium staff 260 00:11:29,966 --> 00:11:33,133 assist the team in capturing the rays. 261 00:11:33,133 --> 00:11:37,533 - Our job principally is to provide the boat support. 262 00:11:37,533 --> 00:11:40,800 - We have quite a few boats available with good platforms 263 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:42,833 that they can easily deploy nets from. 264 00:11:42,833 --> 00:11:45,166 - We'll try to spot them from the bow of the boat 265 00:11:45,166 --> 00:11:46,466 as the water's really clear, 266 00:11:46,466 --> 00:11:48,200 and we can usually see them in the depths 267 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:49,900 where we were able to fish. 268 00:11:49,900 --> 00:11:51,800 - But it's often a cat and mouse game. 269 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,266 It's never as straightforward as it seems. 270 00:11:54,266 --> 00:12:01,866 (lively music) 271 00:12:01,866 --> 00:12:03,366 - [Narrator] To capture the rays, 272 00:12:03,366 --> 00:12:05,266 the team uses the same methods 273 00:12:05,266 --> 00:12:09,300 as their colleagues in Sarasota. 274 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:10,633 - And then fill it with water 275 00:12:10,633 --> 00:12:11,733 and then fill it with water from the bucket. 276 00:12:11,733 --> 00:12:13,033 (Researcher) Where did the bucket go. 277 00:12:13,033 --> 00:12:14,633 - [Narrator] Once an animal is on the boat, 278 00:12:14,633 --> 00:12:17,366 the researchers begin their work-up. 279 00:12:17,366 --> 00:12:18,833 - [Cecilia] So we collect information 280 00:12:18,833 --> 00:12:20,566 on the width and length of the animal, 281 00:12:20,566 --> 00:12:23,666 as well as the sex of the animal, 282 00:12:23,666 --> 00:12:25,900 and whether it's mature or not. 283 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:28,233 Then we'll also take genetic fin clips 284 00:12:28,233 --> 00:12:29,966 so that we can find out, you know, 285 00:12:29,966 --> 00:12:32,800 how this population compares to the Florida population 286 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,900 and other populations of eagle rays. 287 00:12:35,900 --> 00:12:38,933 - [Matt] We will inject the animal with a PIT tag. 288 00:12:38,933 --> 00:12:41,100 - [Narrator] And if a ray is the right size, 289 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:43,400 the researchers will also equip it 290 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,766 with a highly specialized, temporary tag. 291 00:12:46,766 --> 00:12:48,866 - We wanna tag a big enough animal 292 00:12:48,866 --> 00:12:52,166 that it won't be a stressor or any kind of hindrance 293 00:12:52,166 --> 00:12:53,833 to their swimming or feeding, 294 00:12:53,833 --> 00:12:57,233 preferably over a meter in width. 295 00:12:57,233 --> 00:12:59,766 - This is the first venture 296 00:12:59,766 --> 00:13:02,833 into this kind of multi-sensor tagging process 297 00:13:02,833 --> 00:13:04,766 for this particular species. 298 00:13:04,766 --> 00:13:06,633 - [Narrator] The tag is placed on the animal 299 00:13:06,633 --> 00:13:09,300 with suction cups. 300 00:13:09,300 --> 00:13:12,133 - [Matt] This species is really conducive 301 00:13:12,133 --> 00:13:13,600 for suction cup attachments, 302 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,566 because its skin is so smooth, actually. 303 00:13:16,566 --> 00:13:19,933 In fact, its skin is almost like the skin of a dolphin. 304 00:13:19,933 --> 00:13:24,033 So we added a little retainer strap to hold the tag down 305 00:13:24,033 --> 00:13:25,300 to the animal's head. 306 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:27,533 And the retainer strap basically 307 00:13:27,533 --> 00:13:30,200 is two sets of very soft hooks 308 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:35,066 that attach to the spiracular cartilage of the animal. 309 00:13:35,066 --> 00:13:37,966 And those straps go over 310 00:13:37,966 --> 00:13:42,033 and are held together by a galvanic timed release. 311 00:13:42,033 --> 00:13:44,500 - That galvanic timed release slowly disintegrates 312 00:13:44,500 --> 00:13:47,000 as a result of the saltwater reacting with it. 313 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,033 And it should fall apart about 24 hours later, 314 00:13:50,033 --> 00:13:51,900 causing those hooks to fall out. 315 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:53,500 And then the suction cups 316 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:58,466 will eventually naturally pop off on their own. 317 00:13:58,466 --> 00:14:00,700 - [Narrator] The tag records a variety of data 318 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:03,066 while attached to the animal. 319 00:14:03,066 --> 00:14:07,166 - [Matt] So we've got motion sensors on it. 320 00:14:07,166 --> 00:14:09,200 - They will allow us to record 321 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:10,933 how the animal was moving and where, 322 00:14:10,933 --> 00:14:13,400 whether it's deep, very shallow, 323 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,700 how warm the water is and what it's doing. 324 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:17,833 - And so those things 325 00:14:17,833 --> 00:14:19,500 are all getting recorded simultaneously, 326 00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:21,300 along with the time. 327 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:25,033 There's a light sensor, and we have a hydrophone. 328 00:14:25,033 --> 00:14:28,566 So it's listening to all the sounds being generated, 329 00:14:28,566 --> 00:14:31,666 either by the animal or its surroundings, 330 00:14:31,666 --> 00:14:34,100 and then a video camera that's looking forward. 331 00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:35,866 So giving you a very unique perspective 332 00:14:35,866 --> 00:14:38,500 of what the animal's doing. 333 00:14:38,500 --> 00:14:40,166 - [Narrator] The tag also gets picked up 334 00:14:40,166 --> 00:14:42,700 by 11 stationary receivers 335 00:14:42,700 --> 00:14:45,833 located at different depths and in different habitats 336 00:14:45,833 --> 00:14:49,400 throughout the sound and in the inlet. 337 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,666 Each time a ray swims by one of these receivers, 338 00:14:52,666 --> 00:14:55,400 the time and location is recorded. 339 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,566 This data can then be combined 340 00:14:57,566 --> 00:15:00,666 with the information collected by the tag. 341 00:15:00,666 --> 00:15:04,500 - [Matt] That ability to link the behavior and habitat 342 00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:06,000 to where the animal actually is, 343 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,366 is absolutely crucial for our project. 344 00:15:08,366 --> 00:15:11,366 (playful music) 345 00:15:11,366 --> 00:15:13,666 - [Narrator] Once the tag comes off the ray, 346 00:15:13,666 --> 00:15:16,400 it floats up to the surface. 347 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:17,900 - [Cecilia] And it will float in an orientation 348 00:15:17,900 --> 00:15:21,633 that puts a little antenna of our satellite transmitter 349 00:15:21,633 --> 00:15:22,600 out of the water, 350 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:23,966 as well as a wet-dry sensor. 351 00:15:23,966 --> 00:15:26,133 So as soon as that sensor's dry, 352 00:15:26,133 --> 00:15:29,066 the transmitter will start telling satellites overhead 353 00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:31,300 where it is. 354 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:34,100 So we then hone in on wherever the tag is, 355 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,533 using a ground interception antenna 356 00:15:36,533 --> 00:15:38,066 that will hear those transmissions 357 00:15:38,066 --> 00:15:39,500 that are meant for the satellites, 358 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:41,733 and guide us to where they're coming from 359 00:15:41,733 --> 00:15:44,266 by direction and signal strength. 360 00:15:44,266 --> 00:15:46,666 So we'll get near where the tag was 361 00:15:46,666 --> 00:15:48,866 from the satellite transmission data, 362 00:15:48,866 --> 00:15:51,533 and then we will just sort of be guided 363 00:15:51,533 --> 00:15:54,733 by our instruments on the ground to a closer location. 364 00:15:54,733 --> 00:15:56,266 And then we just have to look 365 00:15:56,266 --> 00:16:00,833 and see our bright pink little package floating there. 366 00:16:00,833 --> 00:16:02,966 - [Narrator] Locating the floating tag 367 00:16:02,966 --> 00:16:06,033 is like finding a needle in a haystack. 368 00:16:06,033 --> 00:16:07,633 - [Cecilia] It's incredibly stressful 369 00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:08,633 to look for those tags, 370 00:16:08,633 --> 00:16:09,933 they're very expensive, 371 00:16:09,933 --> 00:16:12,166 but more importantly, the data is invaluable. 372 00:16:12,166 --> 00:16:13,433 - [Matt] What's that. 373 00:16:13,433 --> 00:16:15,000 Is that pink? - Where? 374 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:16,400 - It's pink. 375 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:17,833 It's sort of exciting at the same time, to be honest, 376 00:16:17,833 --> 00:16:23,400 because it's a little like a giant Easter egg hunt. 377 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,066 It's a very expensive Easter egg hunt at the same time, 378 00:16:26,066 --> 00:16:29,600 but, you know, you're so excited to get data back 379 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,033 that sometimes, you know, the stresses of the situation, 380 00:16:33,033 --> 00:16:36,566 you know, is overcome by all of that energy. 381 00:16:36,566 --> 00:16:40,300 - Way to go Ce. 382 00:16:40,300 --> 00:16:46,400 - [Narrator] Between October of 2022 and the end of 2023, 383 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,866 the team successfully deployed 9 tags 384 00:16:48,866 --> 00:16:52,533 which have led to exciting discoveries. 385 00:16:52,533 --> 00:16:55,133 - Whenever I open the videos from these tags, 386 00:16:55,133 --> 00:16:56,900 I have this really great rush 387 00:16:56,900 --> 00:16:58,100 knowing that I'm seeing something 388 00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:00,266 that no one has ever seen before. 389 00:17:00,266 --> 00:17:03,333 We finally know where this animal was when it ate that. 390 00:17:03,333 --> 00:17:04,366 How deep was it? 391 00:17:04,366 --> 00:17:05,633 What was the bottom like? 392 00:17:05,633 --> 00:17:06,900 What did it sound like? 393 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:09,500 Were there other rays around? 394 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:11,500 We've seen rays trailing other rays, 395 00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:13,866 as well as being part of larger groups of rays, 396 00:17:13,866 --> 00:17:15,700 maybe three at a time or four. 397 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:17,933 - The video camera has shown interactions 398 00:17:17,933 --> 00:17:21,266 with certain habitats that we weren't really expecting. 399 00:17:21,266 --> 00:17:25,066 - Now we can see behaviors like looking for food, 400 00:17:25,066 --> 00:17:26,733 but not necessarily finding food. 401 00:17:26,733 --> 00:17:28,333 Have they changed their swimming behavior 402 00:17:28,333 --> 00:17:30,633 when they appear to be looking for food? 403 00:17:30,633 --> 00:17:32,000 - It's like a dream come true, 404 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,366 because as scientists who are interested 405 00:17:35,366 --> 00:17:36,766 in studying these animals, 406 00:17:36,766 --> 00:17:40,333 like, you know, short of being able to be underwater 407 00:17:40,333 --> 00:17:42,666 and attach yourselves to them, like this is it, right? 408 00:17:42,666 --> 00:17:44,600 This is the way to break through 409 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,133 and discover these behaviors 410 00:17:46,133 --> 00:17:50,166 that are basically concealed to us. 411 00:17:50,166 --> 00:17:51,533 - [Narrator] Using sound recordings 412 00:17:51,533 --> 00:17:54,833 to understand the rays' diet and feeding patterns 413 00:17:54,833 --> 00:17:58,266 can also shed light on how eagle rays interact 414 00:17:58,266 --> 00:18:01,766 with shellfish aquaculture operations. 415 00:18:01,766 --> 00:18:04,466 - That kind of information could, you know, 416 00:18:04,466 --> 00:18:07,566 potentially lead to less interactions with the industry. 417 00:18:07,566 --> 00:18:11,166 (lively music) (water sloshing) 418 00:18:11,166 --> 00:18:12,700 - [Narrator] To test this, 419 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:16,966 the team at Mote is working closely with Sarasota Bay Watch. 420 00:18:16,966 --> 00:18:21,666 - Sarasota Bay Watch is an organization of citizens 421 00:18:21,666 --> 00:18:26,233 who are actively working for the environment. 422 00:18:26,233 --> 00:18:29,100 We have this project with clam restoration, 423 00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:31,266 the southern hard clam. 424 00:18:31,266 --> 00:18:32,966 - [Narrator] Native to the area, 425 00:18:32,966 --> 00:18:35,500 these clams were once abundant, 426 00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:39,266 but their numbers declined due to overfishing. 427 00:18:39,266 --> 00:18:40,766 - [Ernesto] We wanna put them back again 428 00:18:40,766 --> 00:18:42,866 so the clams will produce babies, 429 00:18:42,866 --> 00:18:45,566 and they repopulate those sites. 430 00:18:45,566 --> 00:18:47,366 - [Narrator] The filter-feeding clams 431 00:18:47,366 --> 00:18:50,066 serve an important ecological role 432 00:18:50,066 --> 00:18:52,600 by improving water quality. 433 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,000 - [Ernesto] These clams, their filter power is very strong. 434 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,133 20 gallons per clam a day. 435 00:18:59,133 --> 00:19:00,466 - [Narrator] Sarasota Bay Watch 436 00:19:00,466 --> 00:19:02,500 received permits from the state 437 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:06,800 to put clams in places where they occurred historically. 438 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,633 - We determine if the location is good by doing testings. 439 00:19:09,633 --> 00:19:12,666 And once we determine the clams will survive, 440 00:19:12,666 --> 00:19:15,500 and they will grow, then we put large quantities. 441 00:19:15,500 --> 00:19:17,733 We're talking 60,000 clams. 442 00:19:17,733 --> 00:19:28,800 (lively music) 443 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,133 - We collected preliminary data at those sites 444 00:19:32,133 --> 00:19:33,833 before they released clams. 445 00:19:33,833 --> 00:19:36,166 So we put receivers out, we put hydrophones out, 446 00:19:36,166 --> 00:19:39,766 we were able to get a baseline prior to the restoration, 447 00:19:39,766 --> 00:19:41,533 and then we were able to get some data 448 00:19:41,533 --> 00:19:44,666 after the clams were put in the water. 449 00:19:44,666 --> 00:19:45,966 What we noticed 450 00:19:45,966 --> 00:19:49,266 is when the clam restorations were first done, 451 00:19:49,266 --> 00:19:51,500 we did see sort of an uptick 452 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:54,033 in a few of our acoustic tagged rays 453 00:19:54,033 --> 00:19:56,133 visiting those sites. 454 00:19:56,133 --> 00:19:58,000 This is probably, you know, 455 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:59,966 if the clams hadn't buried themselves yet, 456 00:19:59,966 --> 00:20:03,266 it's almost like a buffet of clams in the area. 457 00:20:03,266 --> 00:20:06,266 But one of the things that's really cool that we're learning 458 00:20:06,266 --> 00:20:08,566 is by looking at the diet of the eagle rays. 459 00:20:08,566 --> 00:20:10,266 They don't really eat a lot of the hard clams. 460 00:20:10,266 --> 00:20:11,966 They eat a lot of other stuff. 461 00:20:11,966 --> 00:20:13,600 And one of the things that rays eat 462 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,266 are some of the whelks, banded tulips, some of the conchs. 463 00:20:17,266 --> 00:20:20,033 So rays can actually be helping manage 464 00:20:20,033 --> 00:20:23,200 some of these shellfish beds and industries 465 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,966 by like eating some of the other predators of the clams. 466 00:20:25,966 --> 00:20:27,300 (water bubbling) 467 00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:30,500 (lively music) 468 00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:33,033 - [Narrator] Researchers are also hoping to identify 469 00:20:33,033 --> 00:20:36,133 eagle ray nurseries in Sarasota 470 00:20:36,133 --> 00:20:39,266 and in the Indian River Lagoon. 471 00:20:39,266 --> 00:20:42,900 - Really there's been no nursery work on the species, 472 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:44,700 mainly because there's very few places, I think, 473 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:48,866 where you can reliably study them. 474 00:20:48,866 --> 00:20:51,766 - We don't know where the rays are born. 475 00:20:51,766 --> 00:20:57,633 And so a way to help recover populations of a species 476 00:20:57,633 --> 00:20:59,833 that is globally declining, 477 00:20:59,833 --> 00:21:01,800 is to discover those nursery habitats, 478 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:06,200 so we can create protected boundaries for this area. 479 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,533 So I'm trying to determine 480 00:21:08,533 --> 00:21:11,266 where these protected areas should be 481 00:21:11,266 --> 00:21:15,566 in Florida coastal waters. 482 00:21:15,566 --> 00:21:16,866 For this study, 483 00:21:16,866 --> 00:21:20,266 rays between 40 to 80 centimeters disc width, 484 00:21:20,266 --> 00:21:22,400 we are considering a pup. 485 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,366 (lively music) 486 00:21:26,366 --> 00:21:29,033 In the Indian River Lagoon, we use gillnets, 487 00:21:29,033 --> 00:21:34,300 (lively music) 488 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:36,666 and then we wait like 30 minutes, 489 00:21:36,666 --> 00:21:41,433 and that's how we capture little ones here. 490 00:21:41,433 --> 00:21:46,900 - It's a little different than the way Mote captures them. 491 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:48,733 They tend to see eagle rays in waters 492 00:21:48,733 --> 00:21:51,566 that are a bit clearer. 493 00:21:51,566 --> 00:21:52,866 Once the ray is captured, 494 00:21:52,866 --> 00:21:54,366 we take a lot of the similar measurements 495 00:21:54,366 --> 00:21:55,566 we take for the adults, 496 00:21:55,566 --> 00:21:57,766 and then we'll proceed with the surgery 497 00:21:57,766 --> 00:22:00,633 to implant them with acoustic transmitters. 498 00:22:00,633 --> 00:22:04,766 - We internally tag the rays with two tags. 499 00:22:04,766 --> 00:22:06,333 - [Narrator] One tag communicates 500 00:22:06,333 --> 00:22:09,733 with the stationary receivers set up throughout the lagoon 501 00:22:09,733 --> 00:22:14,300 that record the time and date each time a pup swims by 502 00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:16,833 over the course of two years. 503 00:22:16,833 --> 00:22:20,333 - Really to understand how long that habitat serves 504 00:22:20,333 --> 00:22:22,500 as a nursery for. 505 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:24,533 - [Narrator] The second tag allows Ari 506 00:22:24,533 --> 00:22:27,633 to actively track a pup from a boat. 507 00:22:27,633 --> 00:22:28,900 - [Matt] The active tracking vessel 508 00:22:28,900 --> 00:22:31,500 has a special mount on it, with a pole, 509 00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:32,733 for the hydrophone system. 510 00:22:32,733 --> 00:22:34,800 The hydrophone is connected to a deck box, 511 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:36,833 which serves as the receiver. 512 00:22:36,833 --> 00:22:40,066 And, basically the receiver gives you information, 513 00:22:40,066 --> 00:22:41,400 in real time, 514 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,333 in terms of the strength of the signal, 515 00:22:43,333 --> 00:22:46,233 which is a strong indication of how far away the ray is, 516 00:22:46,233 --> 00:22:47,933 as well as the date and the time. 517 00:22:47,933 --> 00:22:54,266 And we'll manipulate the direction of the hydrophone 518 00:22:54,266 --> 00:22:56,100 to give us the strongest bearing on where the animal is. 519 00:22:56,100 --> 00:22:58,266 And we'll continuously move in that direction 520 00:22:58,266 --> 00:23:01,966 to stay as close as possible to the ray. 521 00:23:01,966 --> 00:23:03,366 - [Narrator] Ari and her colleagues 522 00:23:03,366 --> 00:23:06,866 try to follow the pup for 24 hours. 523 00:23:06,866 --> 00:23:09,500 - It's because I'm interested in their behavior, 524 00:23:09,500 --> 00:23:12,766 how that changes in relationship to time, 525 00:23:12,766 --> 00:23:17,566 like their activities during the day and also at night. 526 00:23:17,566 --> 00:23:19,266 So we're trying to focus 527 00:23:19,266 --> 00:23:21,666 and figure out what the hotspots are, 528 00:23:21,666 --> 00:23:25,233 pretty much where they spend the majority of their time. 529 00:23:25,233 --> 00:23:27,633 - [Narrator] And the hard work is paying off. 530 00:23:27,633 --> 00:23:31,766 Ari is already making some interesting discoveries. 531 00:23:31,766 --> 00:23:35,466 - Their behavior is somewhat similar in both areas, 532 00:23:35,466 --> 00:23:38,333 despite being so different 533 00:23:38,333 --> 00:23:42,966 in terms of water clarity and the tides. 534 00:23:42,966 --> 00:23:45,666 - [Narrator] The pups are moving more than expected 535 00:23:45,666 --> 00:23:49,000 and are spending time in surprising places. 536 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,600 - [Ariadna] 55.8. 537 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:55,266 Some of the preliminary data is showing that little rays, 538 00:23:55,266 --> 00:23:58,033 they love deeper waters, like the channels, 539 00:23:58,033 --> 00:24:00,133 and also they love bridges, 540 00:24:00,133 --> 00:24:02,466 in Sarasota Bay and also here. 541 00:24:02,466 --> 00:24:07,266 We were not expecting to see little ones in the channels, 542 00:24:07,266 --> 00:24:12,266 because those are areas with high traffic of predators. 543 00:24:12,266 --> 00:24:14,700 - [Narrator] Many species of fish seek refuge 544 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:17,466 around shallow mangrove roots when they are little, 545 00:24:17,466 --> 00:24:19,633 because these areas are difficult 546 00:24:19,633 --> 00:24:22,933 for large predators to access. 547 00:24:22,933 --> 00:24:24,600 Ari is hoping that her research 548 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,133 will help explain why eagle ray pups 549 00:24:27,133 --> 00:24:32,133 also frequent adult habitats like the deep channels. 550 00:24:32,133 --> 00:24:35,800 - [Ariadna] I think it helps to be in turbid, darker waters 551 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,400 where predators cannot see you very well. 552 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:46,133 (lively music) 553 00:24:46,133 --> 00:24:50,766 (water burbling) 554 00:24:50,766 --> 00:24:58,200 (gentle dramatic music) 555 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,766 - [Narrator] Eagle rays have long captivated people 556 00:25:00,766 --> 00:25:06,333 with their stunning appearance and elegant movements. 557 00:25:06,333 --> 00:25:08,166 - What I think is really fascinating 558 00:25:08,166 --> 00:25:09,766 about studying eagle rays 559 00:25:09,766 --> 00:25:11,400 is that we have learned a lot, 560 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,333 but we still have a lot to learn. 561 00:25:14,333 --> 00:25:15,800 - There seems to be like nothing about them 562 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:16,933 that isn't interesting, 563 00:25:16,933 --> 00:25:18,600 which I think keeps me going. 564 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:20,833 We have an amazing opportunity here in Florida, 565 00:25:20,833 --> 00:25:23,733 because they are in such great shape here 566 00:25:23,733 --> 00:25:25,433 that we can learn a lot 567 00:25:25,433 --> 00:25:29,100 and apply to other areas in Central and South America 568 00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:30,700 where they're not doing as well, 569 00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:33,466 so that those people have the information they need 570 00:25:33,466 --> 00:25:36,266 to better manage that species. 571 00:25:36,266 --> 00:25:37,433 - [Kim] And we can contribute 572 00:25:37,433 --> 00:25:39,566 towards finding out more information 573 00:25:39,566 --> 00:25:41,266 and helping with their conservation. 574 00:25:41,266 --> 00:25:48,433 (gentle dramatic music) 575 00:25:48,433 --> 00:26:16,100 (lively music) 576 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:18,066 - [Announcer] Major funding for this program 577 00:26:18,066 --> 00:26:21,200 was provided by The Batchelor Foundation, 578 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,066 encouraging people to preserve and protect 579 00:26:24,066 --> 00:26:27,266 America's underwater resources. 580 00:26:27,266 --> 00:26:31,333 Additional funding was provided by Trish and Dan Bell 581 00:26:31,333 --> 00:26:33,966 and by the Parrot Family Endowment 582 00:26:33,966 --> 00:26:37,466 for Environmental Education. 583 00:26:37,466 --> 00:26:40,133 (upbeat music)