Recreational fisher Rick Humphreys holds a giant freshwater stingray baby less than an hour old in Thailand on March 31, 2008.

The anglers who reeled in the baby's mother were taken by surprise when the giant creature suddenly gave birth as it was being held near the banks of the Bang Pakong River.

The baby measured 48 inches (122 centimeters) from its snout to the tip of its tail.

The event may be the first time that anyone has witnessed a live birth of a giant freshwater stingray in the wild, Humphreys said.

Biologist Zeb Hogan studied the stingray as part of a research effort to document the world's remaining freshwater giants.

• More Photos in the News
• Today's Top 15 Most Popular Stories
• Free Email Newsletter: "Focus on Photography"