Critter of the Week: Te whai rahi | Giant manta ray

This week's critter is one of the most intelligent animals in the ocean. Te whai rahi, the giant oceanic manta ray, has a brain to body mass ratio similar to our own and is one of the only fish that can recognise itself in the mirror. Te whai rahi are long-lived, slow to breed, and only give birth to a single pup every 2-5 years. This slow and steady approach means they struggle to recover from the impact of fishing and are now listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.