Manta Ray Nusa Lembongan

Those intriguing and mysterious beings

What do we understand about Manta rays in Lembongan

Manta ray Nusa Lembongan are one of the biggest highlights when diving with us. People travel here from all over the globe to see these majestic creatures. In fact, Manta Bay and Manta Point are some of our most requested dive sites. Let’s learn about why these marine animals so widely loved

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  the ways in which you can see them either diving or snorkeling with us, and their conservation! Manta ray belong to a group of large cartilaginous fish. There are two main types: Reef Manta Rays and Oceanic Manta Rays. Reef Mantas are a bit smaller, with a maximum wingspan of 5.5 meters, whereas Oceanic Manta rays can reach a wingspan of up to 8.8 meters. In our waters, the Reef Manta Ray is the one you are most likely to encounter. However, there is still a chance to observe an Oceanic Manta Ray.

• Structure and Appearance

  The morphology of these two species is roughly the same. It is very simple to recognize these magical creatures. You can recognize them from their two pectoral fins, much like to a bird’s wing. Many refer to them as “flying carpets” or “birds of the sea.” In addition, their mouths consist of cephalic lobes that extend forward. Mantas have a flat body and long whip-like tail. Furthermore, their large rectangular mouths allow them to capture their food. Their diet consists of tiny creatures known as zooplankton. They simply filter through the water using the comb-like structures of their gills. It does not use teeth for consuming food!

• Coloration

  In terms of color, they can vary. You will most likely spot one with a dark upper body and white bottom. Furthermore, they often have patches on their undersides. Each pattern is unique and is how we identify every Manta ray. Moreover, there are special color variations such as the “Ninja manta ray” which is all black. We work with MantaWatch to help ID manta ray. You can help as well by submitting photos.

• Pollution

  Besides over-tourism, there are two main factors that pose the greatest threat to Manta ray. Firstly, it is pollution. During the rainy season, the streets in Indonesia are often flooded and much of the trash ends up washed out to sea. It is not uncommon to see a lot of trash floating about during this season. This is very harmful to Manta ray health. Research has shown that Manta ray ingest and filter 90m3 of water per hour. With the amount of trash in the waters, they end up taking in a large amount of microplastic. Marine Megafauna Foundation has determined that they will take in 63 pieces of plastic per hour of feeding in our waters. It is very important to improve our trash management systems to keep Manta ray populations healthy. Moreover, pieces of fishing line or other debris can get stuck on Manta ray which will injury them. It has been shown that this affects up to 14% of Manta ray in our waters.

• Overfishing

  The other threat to Manta ray is overfishing. Though they are not targeted as a food source, some fishermen still hunt them for the Chinese traditional medicine trade. Raising awareness against these practices and tightening conservation laws will help curb this. Nevertheless, many Manta ray will still get caught in bycatch. Again, raising awareness to fishermen in regards to their benefits in conservation can help populations. A Manta ray brings in many dollars in terms of tourism, and are more important alive than dead.

• Overtourism

  The popularity of these two dive sites does pose a problem. Large amounts of tourist vessels will stress out these creatures. Findings from the Marine Megafauna Foundation have determined that seasonal closures of these sites will greatly benefit these populations. Besides, it is important for operators to follow Green-Fins protocols. This will mitigate the effects of over-tourism.