Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
Sighting evidence at Manta Channel, Addu Atoll
Photo: Programa Marino del Golfo de California · CC BY-NC
Oceanic manta rays visit Manta Channel from November through April when the northeast monsoon drives productive upwelling through Addu's channels, providing the dense zooplankton aggregations these filter feeders require. Individual mantas at this site have wingspans of 3 to 5 metres, and the same individuals are recognised across multiple years using the unique spot patterns on their white ventral surfaces — a citizen science photo-ID programme run by local operators contributes to the Manta Trust global database. The channel's proximity to the open Indian Ocean means both reef mantas and the larger oceanic mantas pass through, making ID comparisons between the two species possible on productive days.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Oceanic Manta Ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.