Oceanic Manta Ray

Photo: Albert Kang · 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.