Hundreds of Mobula Ray Fish Wash Ashore in Gaza: We Smell Something Fishy!

It's a mystery that may never get an answer. Just yesterday, hundreds of Mobula ray fish washed ashore on a beach in Gaza City, baffling Palestinian fishermen. That doesn't mean that they didn't take advantage of the situation, though. The fish were carted off to market by the fishermen to sell for a profit--about five shekels ($1.35) per pound.

Mobula rays are similar in appearance to Manta rays, which are in the same family. Species of this genus are often collectively known as "Flying Mobula" or "Flying rays" due to their ability to leap out of the water in a spectacular manner. They can reach a width of up to 17 feet, and can weigh more than 170 pounds.

The fishermen in Gaza City weren't just surprised by the fact that the rays washed ashore, though. The rays hadn't been seen on the beach for at least six years, according to a local video report. Overfishing has decimated the fish's population, which made this particular phenomenon all the more astonishing.

While the reason they washed ashore is unclear, why they washed ashore in vast numbers may be more easily explained. These rays tend to travel in huge schools of thousands of individuals, so it's possible that a mass stranding could occur. That said, it's still unusual. In an interview with MailOnline, Bob Rubin, a leading expert on Rays, said, "This observation is strange to me and unknown to me, as well. I have worked in the Gulf of California for many years where there are abundant mobula schools, and I have never seen a mass stranding."

The rays that washed ashore had blood on their pectoral fins, which could have resulted from the rays bumping into or slapping something with their "wings." Yet without further researcher, the exact cause of this stranding is unknown.

Want to see pictures of the mass stranding? Check it out here.