When most people think of animals jumping out of the water, they probably imagine dolphins – not many picture a giant ray leaping through the air with majesty.
Well, not until now, anyway.
Mark DeLaRosa, 42, from Texas, is a YouTube fisherman (MDLR Fishing) who was in his fishing kayak when one friendly customer decided to say hello.
“I thought it was a dolphin playing around,” Mark told the Press Association of the creature, which he now believes to have been a young Manta Ray.
“I estimate that it was approximately six feet wide, which is half the size of my fishing kayak,” he continued. “At the time I didn’t know, but after looking it up when I got home, I quickly learned that they are playful creatures and very inquisitive.
“My guess was that it was curious about my kayak and went airborne to get a better look.”
Mark has had encounters with creatures like bottlenose dolphins on his travels, but said that this experience was his most exciting with wildlife so far.
