“I mean, he was in pain. That animal was in pain,” a witness alleged of the aquatic animal

Earlier this month, beachgoers and tour staff near Panama City Beach, Florida, were left shaken and outraged after witnessing the forceful removal of an endangered giant manta ray from its natural habitat.

The incident, which took place on July 12, was captured on video by the dolphin tour company Water Planet USA and has since gone viral online, sparking widespread debate over the ethics and legality of the action.

The video, recorded aboard one of Water Planet’s touring vessels, shows five men wrestling the massive animal into a shallow holding pool.

The giant manta ray, described by observers as perfectly healthy and clearly distressed, was reportedly being prepared for transport to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi — a move that critics say crosses both moral and ecological lines.

“Let him go! You should be ashamed of yourselves!” someone from the tour boat can be heard yelling in the video, which has since been shared by local news outlets and marine conservation advocates.

The footage has generated an outpouring of criticism, especially given that giant manta rays are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and are protected from being captured in Florida waters — under normal circumstances.

“I was horrified, and everybody on board was really upset,” said Denis Richard, founder and CEO of Water Planet USA, who was present during the incident. “I mean, he was in pain. That animal was in pain.”

While the capture appeared to violate state protections, it was in fact conducted under a special Marine Special Activity License issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

According to FWC spokesperson Shannon Knowles, the license legally authorized the capture of one manta ray for “exhibition and education purposes.” Such exceptions are rare but permitted when deemed to increase public knowledge and awareness of marine resources.

Despite the technical legality, the ethical backlash has been swift. “As a citizen of this country, you have the right and the moral obligation to address the issue with your local representatives,” Richard said in a formal statement.

“These permits are a disgrace and an insult to our country’s and the world’s scientific community.”

Richard and others argue that forcibly removing a wild manta ray, especially for transfer to a facility on another continent, poses unacceptable risks to the animal’s physical and psychological health.

“The risks of that manta ray being traumatized and possibly dying in that process are very high,” he explained in an interview with the *Orlando Sentinel*. “They are a very sensitive species.”

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, which officially opened in May 2023, has been marketed as a state-of-the-art marine research and rescue facility.

It is the first SeaWorld park outside the United States and notably, the first not to include orcas in its exhibits. As the world’s largest indoor marine-life theme park, it claims a focus on conservation, rehabilitation, and education.

However, this high-profile manta ray acquisition has cast a shadow over those claims, with critics accusing SeaWorld of greenwashing and exploitation.

“Just because you *can* get a permit, doesn’t mean you *should*,” commented one marine biologist familiar with the case, who asked not to be named. “Manta rays are not just large fish — they’re intelligent, migratory creatures.

They don’t do well in confined environments. Captivity is a death sentence for many of them.”

The giant manta ray, the world’s largest species of ray, can reach wingspans up to 26 feet.

According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, these creatures have highly fragmented populations and are increasingly vulnerable due to commercial fishing, pollution, and habitat destruction.

The species has been under federal protection in the U.S. since 2018, and Florida generally bans their capture unless under highly specific and regulated exceptions.

The debate over marine animal captivity is not new. In 2016, SeaWorld announced the end of its orca breeding program after years of criticism and declining public support, particularly in the wake of the documentary *Blackfish* and the death of Tilikum, the orca involved in the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau.

Though SeaWorld has shifted its branding toward conservation and education, critics argue that the company’s core model still relies on spectacle over science.

The manta ray’s removal from Florida has reignited this global conversation — and for many, it has brought back painful memories of past controversies.

A related viral story from recent years showed a manta ray approaching a diver in apparent distress, asking for help to remove hooks embedded near its eye.

Videos like that painted manta rays as sentient beings capable of complex interaction and emotion, making this latest incident all the more distressing for animal advocates.

In the face of growing backlash, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi has not issued a public statement regarding the July 12 capture.

Meanwhile, conservation groups are calling for a thorough review of the FWC’s permit process and urging lawmakers to end the practice of exporting protected marine animals for exhibition, regardless of the claimed educational value.

“There’s a big difference between research and exploitation,” Richard added. “This wasn’t rescue. This wasn’t rehabilitation. This was extraction — plain and simple. And it should never have happened.”

As questions swirl around whether the manta ray will survive the long journey and adapt to life in a tank, the video remains a painful symbol of the ongoing conflict between conservation and commerce.

For those who witnessed it, it wasn’t just a fish being taken away — it was a living, breathing reminder of how easily we justify harming nature in the name of entertainment.