Mating Mantas - Video!

Source.

Wow - with an extra helping of WOWZA!
Story here.

And since it's so awesome, here's some more Manta hanky panky for good measure!

Enjoy!

Thank you Serena!

Manta molesting - Videos!

Source.

Whoops.
Watch = click here or on post below!



The question being, who is molesting whom!
May this be some defensive maneuver, or is the Manta simply having fun like they often appear to do?

Questions questions!
And lest you thought this is strictly a one-off: here's another one from 4 years ago - story here!



Anyway, enjoy!

Tiger Shark vs Manta Ray!

Yes some Sharks will attack Manta Rays - source.

Wow - source here.

It obviously begs the question, did the Tiger kill the Manta.

I'm also amazed at those many Reef Sharks as I've never seen them scavenge like they are doing here. 

And I must add that all those unprotected punters are a scary, scary sight, the more as Tiger Sharks are known to vigorously defend their meals, and perceived interlopers have already been grievously injured.

Be it as it may - what an awesome encounter!

Enjoy!

Bye bye Manta Rays?

From the paper - click for detail!

It sure looks so - at least taxonomically!

Check this out.

It postulates what has been rumored for quite a while, i.e. that genetically, the Mantas belong to the Mobulas and that consequently,  their Genus needs to be changed from Manta to Mobula. The paper also does away with three species of Mobula (eregoodootenkee, japanica and rochebrunei) that are being subsumed under Mobula kuhlii, M. mobular and M. hypostoma, respectively, thus reducing the total number of Mobula species to eight. 

This does not necessarily affect the common names = we can still continue calling Mobula alfredi the Reef Manta, and Mobula birostris, the Giant (and/or Pelagic or Oceanic) Manta!

And would this be the last of it?

Considering the obvious morphological differences (= e.g. terminal vs sub-terminal mouths, shape of the cephalic lobes etc) but also the emotional attachment to the Mantas by so many folks out there, methinks most likely not - but with Will and Gavin being the current titans of Elasmobranch taxonomy, any detractors better come well prepared!

To be continued no doubt.

Really looking forward to a good frothy brawl - and if the past is any indication, we can all look forward to some epic fireworks! :)

Hawaiian Monk Seal and Mantas!

Source.

This is cool.

And yes, a Monk Seal beats a mermaid anytime!
Story here.

Enjoy!

Do Maui's Manta Rays need saving?

This is by far the biggest threat facing global Manta Ray populations - source.

No don't worry.

I'm not about to totally blast this and call it a scam.

Mark Deakos is certainly a good man who cares deeply, and the projects he is suggesting are certainly legit.

But of course there has to be a BUT! :)

Assuming that there are only so many people willing to invest only so much money into Mobulid conservation - is that the best way to invest those 75 grand?

Yes those Maui Manta Rays may be inconvenienced and some may even fall victim to accidental entanglements - but nobody is actively trying to kill them, and I really have a very hard time believing that the Hawaiian population is at risk of extinction like asserted, meaning that in reality, they also don't need to be "saved"!

Surely the real problems facing Manta Ray conservation are their continued wholesale persecution in e.g. the Subcontinent and Asia, and the challenge of enforcing local protections but also the CITES regulations in order to curb the totally unsustainable disgrace that is the gill raker trade - or not?

And when it comes to the Mobulids in general, surely the biggest and most urgent conservation challenge is to obtain the population data and the other science that are the prerequisites for a CITES listing of the Mobulas - and oh yes, I'm very much talking to you, slow hand clapping mobula fan!

I say, better send your money to the Manta Trust.

This is really the clearing house for global Manta and Mobula conservation, and Guy Stevens, DaMary, Shawn  & Co are probably best suited for conducting the required triage and directing any funds to where they are most needed - including to Deakos who is one of the project leaders!

Or am I missing something here?

CMS - bravo Fiji!

It's done.

All 21 proposed Rays and Sharks are now listed under the CMS.

With the pelagic Manta already listed, Fiji did propose the Reef Manta and all 7 Mobulas, and they are now listed under both appendices.

Bravo - excellent job!

And bravo Ian - you know why!

Killing Manta Rays - Paper!

Worth much more alive than dead (and here!). Source.

Great paper!

But first.

You harvest what you have sown and planted - not Manta Rays, and not their gill rakers.

Call it killing, or fishing, even hunting - because that's what it is. And the gill rakers are being cut out, extracted or gathered.

Words are important.

Anyway, the main conclusion is this.

Emphasis is mine.

Notwithstanding the current uncertainty in the life history of manta rays, given their very low productivity coupled with small localized populations and predictable seasonal aggregations, the unregulated targeting of local Manta populations for their high-value gill plates is unlikely to be sustainable. 
The largest targeted fisheries and highest mortality occurs in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Peru and Mozambique and these countries have little fisheries monitoring, regulation or effective enforcement. 

The time to local extinction depends on the size of the population and the rate of fishing mortality. The very low productivity of manta rays mean that even a moderate level of fishing mortality of F = 0.2 (survival = 0.81) would reduce a small population of 100 individuals to fewer than 10 within less than a generation span (11 years). The key challenge this poses is that it leaves little time to mount an effective conservation management response. 

These serial depletion fisheries are operated by low-income subsistence coastal fishers, often against a backdrop of declining fish stocks. For such fishers the international market demand for valuable Manta and mobulid ray gill plates is likely to provide a desirable income. Such fisheries tend to be unregulated and even if there are protections these are difficult to enforce, which underscores the importance of international trade regulation. 

Paper here!
 

Manta Ray in California!

What species is this?

Wow wow wow!

Have you seen this post?

Now, I know nothing about kelp diving and what to expect there - but it looks like the Niño is driving all kinds of tropical Fishes north, so having a Manta migrate north from, say, their known range in Baja/Socorro doesn't seem like such a big deal.

But watch the video.

See what I mean?

That's not one of the Pelagic Mantas that are ubiquitous on the tropical West coast of the Americas - that's a Reef Manta! Mantas have been shown to change color, but that apparently does not apply to the ventral side - and if you look at the comparative pictures, that Manta is definitely not featuring an uninterrupted dark terminal band but is instead featuring coloration that is diagnostic for Manta alfredi!

Correct?

Check out the distribution of the Reef Manta.

See? No records for the Eastern Pacific, meaning that this is either a massive range extension, or that this is a straggler that must have swum over from either French Polynesia or more likely, the Hawaiian Islands - and this in a species that is generally believed to be highly coast-oriented!

Amazing!

Color Changes in Mantas - Paper!

These are birostris, but the same is being described for alfredi and cf birostris. Click for detail!

Who would have thought!

Turns out that Mantas can change their color.

And this not gradually over a long period of time but instead, within minutes! According to this paper, coloration may indicate their mood but perhaps also be linked to communication - whilst making visual species ID just a tad more difficult!

Fascinating - and great observation by Csilla Ari!

Fiji - protecting the Mantas and Mobulas!

Disheartening - source.

Bravo Fiji and WWF Pacific!

This is excellent stuff.

Fiji is spearheading efforts to list the Reef Manta, Manta alfredi and the Mobulas under the CMS, this in addition to the Giant, or Pelagic Manta, Manta birostris that was listed in 2011. This is also particularly timely in view of the risk that now that Indonesia is going to (eventually...) shut down the fishery, the trade may seek to source those gill rakers in new markets.

Details here - and here is the announcement of further excellent initiatives to come!

Remember?

And talking about the Mobulas.

You really gotta check out this article about their deep diving behavior that has led to a unique morphological adaptation of their brain - fascinating stuff!

And incidentally, good to finally see some published research!

Following the breakthrough with the Mantas, the Mobulas are certainly prime candidates for listing under Appendix II at the next CITES CoP - that is, provided that the infamous Mobula fans and the researchers come up with the necessary data like what has been done by DaMary, Christine and many others for their big cousins!

Just sayin' - chop chop!

Reef Mantas in the Red Sea - Paper!

Reef Mantas or Giant Mantas? Source.

Very Cool.

Reef Mantas are shown to engage in deep dives during the night.

Apparently, they are mostly targeting Plankton that ascends from the deep at night - but the authors speculate that occasional very deep dives to up to 400m are not for foraging but instead, a more efficient way of traveling.

Synopsis here, open access paper here.

Enjoy!

Indonesia - Manta Ray Sanctuary!

Source.

Huge belated congratulations!

Watch this.

I'm sure that many have contributed.

But for me, this is once again the very personal success of the tireless efforts of the indefatigable DaMary and Shawn, and their Manta Ray of Hope project.

Details here.

Bravo - I'm fucking proud of 'ya!

FINdonesia!

Source.

Great project!

Mark Thorpe is one of the good ones.

He's been around forever, and he also forever been a warrior fighting for the cause of Sharks, and now that the gruesome details about the gill raker trade have emerged, equally for the cause of Mantas.

With that in mind, I fully support this project.

Yes I know I know  -  another conservation movie...

But with Indonesia at the epicenter of the Shark fin and Manta gill raker trade, this is a story that needs to be told - and Mark assures me that it will be done respectfully whilst looking for practicable solutions, one of which is of course the possibility of earning more and more importantly, long-term sustainable income from ecotourism.

I am hopeful.

With Stefanie's project going from strength to strength (bravo!), there's really no reason why this funding drive shouldn't be equally successful.

That of course will depend entirely on you.

So, please, give generously.

Indiegogo page here FB pages here and here!

Thank you!

Citizen Science - Mantas!

Source.

The goddess of citizen science has done it again!

Read this open-source paper!

It comes to the following conclusion.

Our study provides a broad overview of population trends and human use patterns of mobulids around the world, and supports previous studies in describing that mobulids are relatively rare within their range, are largely in a state of decline and are being fished in several areas that are not officially reported to the FAO.
Despite some limitations of our data, and their application, these findings broadly support calls for increasing international conservation efforts for mobulids and helps to identify unprotected mobulid hotspots. Such regions could become a priority for increased monitoring and conservation initiatives. A paucity of data describing realized exploitation rates (percent of the population that is removed relative to the total population), suggests that this may be a priority for future research efforts. In the meantime, data collection needs to be improved with more accurate reporting of mobulid landings to the FAO – this may be as simple as providing species identification of catches.

Finally, our study suggests that diver observations can be an important source of information in data-poor situations, and could be utilized more fully into the future.

Bingo.

Here's to citizen science - and this is precisely why we have initiated the Great Fiji Shark Count and asked Christine to please assume the scientific leadership role which she has graciously accepted.

As a reminder, the GFSC is not a census but long-term monitoring, and I am quite confident that it, together with another so far unpublished initiative will provide us but above all, Fiji's fisheries managers with excellent long-term data about trends, upon which to base any management policies.

I also have no doubt that the trend is increasingly negative - but more about that later.

Regarding the abovementioned species identification of catches.

Contrary to what the usual nay-sayers may claim, there are already multiple excellent resources.

• Differentiating between Mantas and Mobulas is easy, as the former have terminal, and the latter, ventral mouths.
• Here is the guide for differentiating between Oceanic and Reef Mantas
• There are several resources for identifying those infamous gill rakers: this one by the Manta Trust, this one by Pew et al and now, this scientific publication - story here.
• What appears to be missing is a practicable ID guide for Mobulas - may this be a good initial task for the bickering mobula fan and his expert leader, this as part of the necessary scientific ground work for the listing of the Mobulas in 2016 now that the loud and opinionated amateurs have provided for the precedent?
  Just asking! :)

Now, it's a matter of legislation and then, implementation.

With the CITES implementation looming, those countries that are still engaging in fishing for Devil Rays got their work cut out to get their shit sorted out in time.

And the citizen scientists shall be watching!

The global Value of Manta Ecotourism - Paper!

Source

This is how you do it!

This paper is immaculate - read it!.

Yes I'm obviously biased.as the lead author is none other than my friend Mary - but I really cannot fault it and on the contrary, I very much believe it to be one of the best such papers I've read in a long, long time.

Bravo, bravo, bravo!

CITES - Victory for the Mantas!

Did I really just post this thing to my blog???

First and foremost, a big hug to YOU DaMary! :)

And bravo Manta Ray of Hope!

And a huge kudos to Pew!

If the Shark and Manta listings are confirmed in the plenary session, it will be a HUGE slap in the face to Japan, China and their cronies - the ultimate irony being that their insistence on secret ballots may have well allowed several delegations to vote against the instructions of their so-called development partners!

Hint: one should ask for secret ballots at the plenary session! :)

Congratulations Angelo!

No I'm not gonna pose with a flat Shark on my blog - but please, do take the opportunity to investigate the reasons why the delegates have voted in favor this time. I'm quite sure that many will answer if you ask them, and good lessons may be learned for the best strategies going forward!

Was it the excellent science - or may they have been principally swayed by, gasp, those bloody petitions and pictures?

Anyway, thank you ladies and gentlemen.

Thanks to your efforts, this has really been an excellent day!

PS: Thanks Angelo, this is very nice of you!

PS2: and this, too!

Mantas Last Dance!

Source.

This is the video.
Enjoy!



PS: Shawn here!
PS2 more here!

Mantas Last Dance - Making of!

 

Remember the Eco-terrorists?

Well, they're at it again!

This time they are not terrorizing Whale Sharks but Mantas, this in view of the upcoming decision on whether to list them under CITES appendix II.

But hear it directly from Shawn!

Picture gallery here.

Manta Ray of Hope - Global Threat to Manta and Mobula Rays!

All aboard the Manta Train! by Christian Loader, from this astonishing compilation.

Excellent job by Shawn - again!

This is his grisly travelogue.

This is urgent and important.

I've been a huge fan of the Manta Ray of Hope project since its inception, and urge you to inform yourself about the status of Mantas by visiting the link but especially, by consulting the 2011 report and the 2012 paper. The two Mantas are proposed for listing under CITES II at the next CoP in Thailand.

Now the project team are asking for your help.

Any donation will be matched and used to educate the CITES delegates.

These are brilliant, passionate, intelligent and above all, 100% honest people and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Accomplishments here - of note: just facts, no fanfare whatsoever.

And here are the next steps, basically a how-to guide for excellent, targeted marine conservation.

Kudos!

Please, if you can, give generously.

This is money well invested.