Hanifaru Bay is a small and shallow bay located on the eastern edge of Baa Atoll. Even though it might look similar to many others, the morphology of Hanifaru Bay is unique. Thanks to the shape of the surrounding reef, the plankton gets trapped and concentrated inside the bay, turning into a rich buffet for mantas for six months a year. The plankton-rich waters of Hanifaru Bay make it an aggregation site for mantas, that gather here in hundreds to enjoy their meal. Due to the importance of this site for mantas, Hanifaru Bay has been protected as part of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011.
MANTA RAYS
Manta rays are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Mobulidae and are closely related to sharks and rays. In the Maldives, it’s possible to encounter two species of manta rays, the oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) and the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi), with the latter being the most commonly sighted.
DIET
Manta rays are zooplanktivorous animals, that feed on tiny organisms that float in the ocean. In order to do so, they funnel large amounts of water inside their big mouths, with the help of two unique appendages called cephalic fins. They then filter the water through their special gills, keeping inside their mouth the planktonic food.
THREATS AND CONSERVATION
Reef manta rays are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which means that they are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Reef manta rays are both targeted and caught unintentionally as bycatch in industrial and artisanal fisheries. Moreover, they are often victims of entanglement in nets and vessel strikes. Manta rays are particularly vulnerable because of their aggregating behaviour, which makes them an easy target for fishermen. Moreover, once their number is depleted, it takes a long time for the population to recover. In fact, manta rays grow slowly, reach sexual maturity late in life, and give birth only to a few offspring. If we want a future with manta rays in our oceans, we need to protect them now!