The Magic Carpets Of The Sea Manta Rays

The Whitsundays attract many visitors who are drawn to its vibrant marine life, with the majestic manta rays being a particular highlight.
These magnificent creatures are often regarded as more ethereal than any other marine animal, gliding gracefully through the water with an almost otherworldly presence.
Yet, manta rays are far more than just plankton-feasting, magical sea creatures, they are fascinating beings with remarkable intelligence and intricate cleaning and feeding behaviours that captivate all who encounter them.
Manta rays have the largest brain relative to their body size of any fish in the ocean, making them highly intelligent, with some studies even concluding that they are self-aware and can recognise their own reflections.
Manta Rays are also hugely important to the functioning of many ocean habitats, including coral reefs; research has shown that they play a key role in cycling nutrients across habitats.
Worldwide, overfishing is the biggest threat to species survival, as slow reproduction and long lifespans hinder recovery. Poor water quality, pollution, sediment runoff, rising temperatures, and climate change are also damaging their reef habitats. As a result, manta rays are losing the pristine environments they rely on.
Project Manta Whitsundays is a citizen science initiative that partners with local organizations and the community to study manta rays in the Whitsundays.
Launched four years ago by Ocean Rafting Eco Manager Jessica Funnell, the project began when she moved to the region and became intrigued by the manta rays' migration patterns, which lacked clear information. Determined to find answers, she started the project herself.
The team collects sighting data primarily from Ocean Rafting tours and local boating and snorkeling trips, engaging guests and residents in the process.
Jess shared insights into the team's ongoing research focus:
“We collect the basic information, it's the date, it's the time, it's the location, it's the behaviour.
“It might seem so little, but it's actually so big, because this helps us track movement patterns.
“It helps us see what they're doing around the islands.
“Are they feeding here? Are they at cleaning stations?”
For crew members interested in getting involved, Ocean Rafting offers the chance to enter the water and capture a photo of a manta's belly, which serves as a unique "fingerprint." Once the data is collected, if the manta is a new sighting, the person who identified it gets to name the ray.
Jess stated that whilst naming a ray is very special, spotting a ray that's already been found is also just as important:
“If it has been seen again, that's equally as important, because that marks a movement pattern.
“And because of our research that we did last year, for the first time, we got a migration pattern of a ray travelling from the Whitsundays to Orpheus Island, which has never been recorded before.
“We also had two from Lady Elliot Island coming to the Whitsunday Island, so we are making progress.”
To keep track of the wonderful Whitsunday Rays or to see how to get involved head to @projectmanta_whitsundays on Instagram.

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Fast Fact: The word manta is Spanish for ‘blanket’ and it’s easy to see where these beautiful creatures got their name!

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Whitsunday Manta Ray. Photo Credit: Marine Biologist Johnny Gaskell @johnny_gaskell.

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