Shark Bay locals race to save giant rays stranded by monster tide
A group of locals of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area along Australia’s north-west coast are trying to save a squadron of a globally critically endangered ray, which wild weather has stranded in a shallow pool.
The low pressure system coinciding with high tide caused a “king tide” that pushed them into the pool, said local Leon Deschamps from aquatic film company Finn Films.
A resident saw the rays teeming in inches-deep water on her morning walk past Denham Lookout, affectionately known to locals as the Thong Shack, the shelter being draped in specimens of that ubiquitous footwear.
She rang Mr Deschamps, who recognised them as junior giant guitarfish, also known as the giant shovelnose ray, having recently spoken to a Murdoch University researcher looking for healthy population sites in WA, one of the places in the world the species is thriving.
It appears he has now found her one such population, albeit in a precarious position.
“In WA they are doing well ... but they are critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List,” said post-doctoral research fellow Karissa Lear.
“It’s very cool that in Australia and WA that we have populations doing so well, it is like a lifeboat population or Noah’s Ark for that species globally.”
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions office sent a ranger to help the locals relocate by hand the rays – which, when mature, can reach close to three metres.
“We just had five people picking up and carrying the bloody things,” Mr Deschamps said.
“These were up to a metre long and they didn’t want to be picked up. But we had to get them quickly back into water. We got them into another landlocked pond, the deepest one we could find, but unless we can get help to get them 200 metres away to open water it’s likely they will die.
“I am not sure how long. A day? Two? Time is of the essence.”
WAtoday understands it is actually the fisheries department that has jurisdiction on this matter but the two departments are liaising.
DBCA sent a marine parks co-ordinator to monitor the situation on Monday afternoon and hopes the coming high tide will help the rays escape on their own. The department will reassess on Tuesday morning and work with fisheries on next steps if necessary.
Dr Lear is compiling information about where these unique fish, as well as the shark ray and wedgefish/white-spotted guitarfish are caught in Australia.
If you have caught or seen one of these fish, past or present, send in your sighting, including a location, date, and if possible a photo, to wedgefish@murdoch.edu.au.
Emma Young is a WAtoday reporter focusing on environmental issues, urban planning, social justice and the arts. She has won eight WA Media Awards, including the Matt Price Award for Best Columnist.