About MantasManta rays belong to the genus Manta that includes Oceanic Manta Rays, Reef Manta Rays, and Mobula Rays, to name a few. They do not have barbed stingers like sting rays, and do not pose a threat to human life. Mantas live in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters, feeding on plankton, krill, planktonic crabs and shrimp. They use their cephalic fins on each side of their mouth to pull food towards them. Manta rays are also the smartest creatures in the sea, possessing the largest brain to body ratio of any other marine creature. They can actually recognize individual divers underwater by remembering people just by their eyes! They live up to 50 years old at least (a conservative estimate, they could live past 70 years), and are extremely gentle and curious animals. Each manta has a unique, beautiful black and white back pattern with a white underside for camouflage. There are even some rare mantas with all black bodies!
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Our Goal |
Scientists have recently discovered that each year in April, hundreds of Oceanic Manta Rays congregate in the southernmost part of the Maldives. That population could be the largest in the world! However, this population has never been studied, so we do not know anything about this population, especially where these rays come from or go. We can't help protect creatures if we have no clue where they are, so we'd like to change that.
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Satellite-Tagging Process |
By satellite tagging the rays, we will be able to collect enough data to certify the migration paths of this huge manta population. This data will then be shared with the relevant governments to set up new marine protected areas. Governments are especially eager to set up new marine protected areas for manta rays because they bring so much value to the tourism industry. Alive, each manta ray brings in over 1 million dollar in tourism revenue over its lifetime, while dead, their gill plates (falsely advertised to have medicinal properties) can be sold in the black market for maximum $500.
The actual satellite tags track location and depth data over a six month period. Actually deploying the tags onto the manta rays does not do serious harm to the animal. We would like to be honest in that the creatures do feel the tag when it is deployed, however, it is necessary for us to gather this data in the long term to save all the mantas we can. In general, the pain the animal feels when the tag is deployed can be compared to getting your ears pierced - they feel a slight pinching, but that feeling goes away quite quickly. |