Manta ray

Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC

Reef mantas visit Habili Ali's upper plateau between April and July, circling in barrel-roll feeding loops when plankton concentrations are high near the pinnacle summit. The reef manta's cephalic fins funnel water into the wide gill openings, with individual mantas capable of filtering tonnes of plankton-rich water per hour during productive upwelling events. Encounters at Habili Ali tend to be brief but extremely close, as the mantas prioritise feeding over diver avoidance when plankton density is sufficient.