#10: Manta Rays
Don’t get them confused with their stingray cousins--although their tails may look similar
to a stingray’s, they actually don’t have a barb to sting with.
Since they only have a few natural predators, it is believed that over time they outgrew
their stingers.
Both species of manta rays, the Giant Manta Ray and the Reef Manta Ray, are known for
being incredibly friendly towards humans.
On average, they have a wingspan between 17 to 23 feet in width and weigh around 3,000
pounds; although the larger ones can weigh even more.
They can reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour when necessary--that’s about as fast
as an average human can run on land.
You can find these peaceful filter feeders gliding in tropical, subtropical, and temperate
waters around the world.
There are zero cases of attacks by manta rays on humans.
In fact, there are countless remarkable encounters caught on video of manta rays gently interacting
and swimming with humans.
# 9: Hammerhead Sharks
This may come as a bit of a shock at first.
Hammerheads are hunters, but the good news is they feed on fish, octopus, and squit and
don’t view humans as prey.
They reach between 13 to 20 feet long and weigh between 500 to 1,000 pounds.
You can find them both near the shore or farther out in tropical and temperate waters worldwide.
Out of the nine species of hammerhead sharks, only three are seen as a potential danger
to humans because of their size.
But if you don’t provoke them, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
If you ever come across one of these creatures, the best thing to do is to remain calm when
it swims near you (because it most likely will due to its curiosity) and treat it with
respect.
To prove how non-threatening they are to us, there have only been 17 recorded hammerhead
shark attacks since the year 1580 AD, and many more cases caught on video of friendly
interactions between hammerheads and humans.
# 8: Gray Whales
Found primarily in the Northern Pacific Oceans, Gray Whales are a type of baleen whale that
are known for their long, annual migration from Alaska to Baja California.
During the spring they take advantage of the abundance of food up north before beginning
their migration south to Baja each fall to mate and give birth to their calves.
Round trip, this migration is up to 12,000 miles long.
It may be frightening to imagine coming face to face with a gray whale simply because of
their massive size.
They can reach about 50 feet long and weigh around 90,000 pounds (about the weight of
an average airplane before fuel and passengers).
But you have nothing to fear-- they have the unofficial nickname of “the world’s friendliest
whale” for their interest in us.
Similar to humpback whales, they’ll poke their heads out of water right next to your
boat to get a good look at you.
They’ll even put on a show for you by jumping out of the water (called breaching), and splashing
the water with their tails.
Perhaps one of the most extraordinary gestures that show their trust in us is that mothers
will sometimes bring their newborn calves up to boats, and seek out for us to touch
them.
# 7: Octopuses
Octopuses are one of the most fascinating sea creatures mainly for their high intelligence.
They have a cognitive ability that other invertebrates don’t have, such as short-term and long-term
memory, ability to recognize people, and a playful, curious nature.
Since they don’t have any bones, they can cram their way through any space, regardless
of how small it is.
As long their beak can fit through it, they can make their entire body fit, too.
Remember the famous story of Inky, the octopus who escaped his tank at a New Zealand aquarium?
One night the lid of his tank wasn’t properly secured, so Inky climbed out, fell to the
floor, and crawled his way over to a drainpipe that, after a 164 foot drop, led to the ocean.
Despite their interest in humans and ability to form bonds with us, like any other animal,
octopuses can attack when they feel threatened.
So, don’t be like the woman who was bitten twice by an octopus when she put it on her
face for the “perfect photo,” or the girl who tried eating an octopus alive for a live
stream and ended up having to painfully pry off its powerful suction cups that left bruises
on her face.
# 6: The Jellyfish at Jellyfish Lake
If you’ve ever been stung by a jellyfish, you’re probably very reluctant to go anywhere
near a jellyfish ever again.
But there is a place you can go where the jellyfish are harmless.
Jellyfish Lake is a marine lake in Palau.
It is home to moon and golden jellyfish that do not sting you.
Since there are no predators in the lake and the jellyfish feed on algae, they evolved
without the ability to sting.
You’re free to swim and enjoy their presence without fear of getting hurt.
They are relatively small, with an average diameter of around 7 inches and around 3 inches
tall.
# 5: Sea Otters
These adorable animals are a crowd favorite.
Found in the Northern Pacific Ocean, they like to feed on sea urchins, mussels, clams,
and crabs.
They play an important part in the ecosystem; they control the sea urchin population by
feeding on them, which allows giant kelp to grow.
They are generally very friendly animals and even prefer to keep their distance from humans
at times.
An average otter weighs about 65 pounds and is around 4 feet long.
They’re about the size of an average medium size dog.
Although they’re a size we’re comfortable with and are playful, we still need to exercise
caution when around them.
In one case, the sea otter’s cousin, the river otter, attacked a 77-year-old woman
when it jumped onto her kayak in Florida.
Otters are curious, and there have been other cases where they jump up on kayaks or boats
to check us out without incident.
What started off as a harmless interaction took a turn when the woman said she “jerked”
when the otter jumped on, and she tried to get it off.
These sudden movements likely made the otter feel threatened, and it attacked the woman,
leaving a huge cut on her ear, nose, and a nasty bite on her hand.
# 4: Orcas
Also known as killer whales, it may seem counterintuitive to have them on a list of the friendliest
sea creatures.
But the fact is, there has never been an attack on a human by an orca in the wild.
Orcas can be dangerous if they feel threatened or provoked, which is why the only attacks
by orcas that have happened have all been in captivity.
Imagine having your freedom taken away, being forced to do tricks, and live your life in
a tank that isn’t nearly big enough for you.
That would make anyone go crazy and retaliate, which is why we see these attacks in captivity.
Otherwise, they are actually pretty friendly and cooperative with humans.
Originally, orcas were called “whale killers” instead of “killer whales.”
This is because in the past, sailors had witnessed groups of orcas attacking larger whales.
And in the 1900’s there were accounts of orcas in New South Wales helping Australian
whalers find and hunt other whales.
# 3: Beluga Whale
On average, these incredibly friendly beings reach around 16 feet long and weigh over 3,000
pounds.
They are small-toothed whales that feed on a variety of fish and other marine life such
as squid, octopus, crabs, and shrimp.
You can find them in the Arctic Ocean and neighboring seas in the northern hemisphere.
Known as the “canaries of the sea” for their various, bird-like sounds that include
squawks, chirps, whistles, and squeals, they are highly sociable animals, both with other
belugas as well as humans.
A Beluga Whale even saved 26-year-old Yang Yun, a Chinese free diver, from drowning.
Yun was competing to become a whale trainer at a local aquarium, which required her to
hold her breath for as long as possible at the bottom of a 20-foot-deep arctic pool filled
with beluga whales.
Unfortunately, her legs cramped from the freezing temperature, essentially paralyzing her and
making it impossible to get back to the surface for air.
She began choking on water as she sank deeper into the pool unable to move, when one of
the beluga whales, named Mila, came to her rescue.
Mila gently grabbed hold of Yun’s leg in her mouth and pushed her up to the surface.
Had she not done this, Yun would have drowned.
# 2: Dugongs
Dugongs are calm herbivores that are closely related to manatees.
They can be found in coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
They grow to around 10 feet long and can weigh over 800 pounds.
To sustain themselves, they eat up to 70 pounds of sea grass per day.
Although they look very similar and are both referred to as “sea cows,” there are differences
between dugongs and manatees.
Physical differences can be found in their tails and snouts.
A dugong’s tail is fluked, like that of a whale, while a manatee’s tail is shaped
more like a paddle.
A dugong’s snout is wide and faces downward while a manatee’s is shorter with a divided
upper lip.
And while dugongs exclusively live their entire lives in saltwater, manatees can switch between
both freshwater and saltwater.
Unfortunately, dugongs are facing extinction due to the loss of seagrass with the expansion
of real estate and industrial activities on the coast.
There are estimated to be around 5,800 dugongs left.
# 1: Nurse Shark
They are considered one of the most passive sharks and don’t seem to mind humans coming
up and giving them a pet on the back.
Typically 7 feet long and around 200 pounds, they tend to feast at night.
Their diet consists of bottom-dwelling fish, sea urchins, coral, squid, and crabs.
You can find them in the coral reefs of tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic and
Pacific.
Although very peaceful, they will leave a nasty bite if you tug on their fins or tail.
This makes them feel threatened, and they will defend themselves.
In one case, a man in Florida removed a nurse shark from the water and held it in his arms
on the beach.
To protect itself, the nurse shark bit down hard on his arm.
No matter how friendly, we have to remember that all these gentle creatures are still
wild animals, and we can end up getting hurt interacting with them if we don’t respect
them.
Would you rather get bitten by a Sea Otter or swim for 5 hours straight to escape from
a shark attack?