Article Summary:

A paper has been published in the Public Library of Science ONE (PLoS ONE) journal detailing the movements of Giant manta rays (Manta birostris). The research team from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Exeter (UK), and the Government of Mexico attached satellite transmitters to manta rays off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula over a 13-day period. The tracking devices were attached to the backs of six individuals —four females, one male, and one juvenile.The results show that:

“The satellite tag data revealed that some of the rays traveled more than 1,100 kilometers during the study period,” said Dr. Matthew Witt of the University of Exeter. “The rays spent most of their time traversing coastal areas plentiful in zooplankton and fish eggs from spawning events.”