Manta Rays

Manta Rays

The Manta Ray, also known simply as the Manta, is the largest of all rays, measuring up to 25 feet across and weighing up to 3,000 pounds. They live close to coral reefs throughout tropical waters around the world. Feeding mainly on plankton, the ray captures its food passively through their gills, while moving through the water. Some fish, including wrasse swim through the rays gills, where they clean the ray of parasites. Their main predators are sharks and the occasional orca.

Scuba divers love swimming with rays, as they are very curious creatures and will swim up close with the divers. While the Manta has a stinging tail that it uses to sting its prey, they are not usually harmful to humans, unless stepped on while lying in the sand.

Lankanfinolhu Faru dive site on North Male Atoll in the Maldives is a good place to find Manta Rays, where you can see them being cleaned by the wrasse around the coral reef.