Reef Manta Ray

Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC

The Ishigaki reef manta population is among the largest resident aggregations documented in the Indo-Pacific, with photo-ID catalogues maintained since the 1990s identifying over 300 individuals that return to Manta Scramble repeatedly across their lifetimes. Mantas feed on zooplankton concentrated by tidal currents over the ridge, performing barrel rolls with mouths agape in surface waters before descending to cleaning stations on the coral heads below. Females give birth approximately every two years, and newborn pups have been sighted at this exact site, suggesting it functions as both nursery and social hub for the local population.