![]() In 2020, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed the status of oceanic manta rays from vulnerable to endangered, signifying that they need further conservation worldwide. In fact, one study estimated that a single ray could generate up to one million dollars in its lifetime. ![]() Much of this has been driven by countries realizing the economic value these species can generate, as many tourists will travel from around the world to see these creatures first hand. Luckily since 2011, mantas have been protected within international waters by the Convention on Migratory Species as well as a variety of local conservation efforts such as the establishment of the Yarari Sanctuary in the Dutch Caribbean. Threatened by overfishing, these species have seen a drastic decrease in their numbers worldwide. Highly ThreatenedĪlthough manta rays are long-lived, with expected life spans of thirty to fifty years, females are slow to sexually mature and tend to only have one pup every two to five years. Sightings appear to be infrequent and unpredictable however, researchers are hoping to learn more with increased data and reports. birostris as well as two species of devil ray, Mobula hypostoma and Mobula tarapacana, have been identified. Even images taken from land or a boat can be helpful in determining seasonal movements and aggregation sites.Īround the islands of the Dutch Caribbean, Mobula birostris and Mobula c.f. All images are helpful regardless of showing the mantas spot pattern. Anyone with a camera can take a photo of manta ray. Using a photograph of these spots, researchers can track individuals over time, perhaps across international borders. Manta rays can be identified as individuals by the unique spot pattern on their ventral side or belly. Many of the sightings from the Dutch Caribbean have been of feeding manta rays in areas of dense plankton concentration. Knowing these locations and tracking regular visitors can help researchers to understand more about mantas' life cycles and migration patterns. Manta rays often make regular visits to the reef, particularly to known cleaning stations where smaller fish feed off larger fish, removing parasites and dead skin. They can swim very quickly, but they can also be quite curious about divers and will often circle around to investigate, especially when divers or snorkelers swim calmly in the water. ![]() Manta rays and devil rays will always be on the move through the water, as they are ram-ventilators and must continuously swim to run water over their gills. Unlike stingrays, they have no stinger or barb in their tail and are completely harmless to humans. They're known to use creative techniques involving repeated somersaults to create a cyclone effect, trapping their food in the water column. Caribbean manta rays are likely sympatric to the oceanic manta ray and found in the Atlantic, the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico.Īll mobula species are filter feeders, swimming along with their mouths open, sieving out zooplankton and krill from the water. birostris has been proposed, and scientists are working to confirm the distinct species. A third species of manta ray, the Caribbean manta ray or Mobula c.f. Reef manta rays ( Mobula alfredi) are found in the Indian and West pacific oceans, more commonly along coastlines and coral reefs. Oceanic manta rays ( Mobula birostris) are the largest mobulids and are found worldwide, typically in open ocean water. Two distinct species of manta ray have been identified, yet a third is likely. Until only a few years ago, manta rays were thought to be a single species of their own genus, but they are now considered to be part of the mobulid family, along with the devil rays. Mantas and devil rays are some of the largest of the ray family, reaching sizes of up to 7 meters wide. Whether caught as bycatch or targeted for their gill plates, which are valuable on the black market and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, populations of this species are dwindling, leaving them endangered. ![]() Although they can be found throughout tropical, subtropical and temperate waters worldwide, they are highly threatened, often victims of fishing. Manta and devil rays are highly charismatic and have some of the largest brains of all fish species.
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