Discipline & Patience - A tale of two species!

A Manta Ray Cleaning Station, which is similar to a spa and clinic, is one of the most popular diving locations for scuba divers. Mantas, one of the ocean's largest animals, with lengths ranging from 15 to 25 feet, are sociable creatures who, like dolphins, primates, and elephants, are said to be able to recognize themselves in the mirror. Their huge blanket-shaped bodies, wing-like pectoral fins, and cool demeanour make them one of the ocean's most fascinating species.

We observed roughly 15–20 Mantas and an equal number of scuba divers during a recent dive in the Maldives. The difference in behaviour between Mantas and humans was evident. Here’s what I noticed:-

o??Respect for others - Each Manta would arrive at the cleaning station, hover for a few minutes on top of it, and then leave quietly to make room for the next one. Scuba divers, on the other hand, were restless in their search for the perfect spot and exhibited little or no regard for their fellow divers in the process.

o??Patience - Cleaning is a crucial activity for a Manta since it keeps them healthy. Changes in currents, divers approaching them, or any other change in the environment might derail this attempt, forcing them to travel considerable distances to find another acceptable location. Regardless, the other Mantas waited patiently for their turn. We had been given extensive instructions on how to behave and were advised to respect the Mantas' need for privacy. At the dive site, however, we kept moving, showed little patience, and occasionally ventured too close to the Manta for our selfie moment.

o??Discipline – Mantas are negatively buoyant, making it difficult for them to stay in one spot for long periods of time. Regardless, Mantas in line for their turn formed a perfect queue with a social space of 30 – 40 feet between them. Despite the fact that there was adequate room for all of us near the cleaning station, we were all crammed together in what we thought was the greatest place and kept bumping into each other, creating quite a spectacle.

Humans are without a doubt the smartest species on the planet. On this particular day, however, this stealth bomber-like species proved to be far superior and evolved than humans in all facets of social behavior.