Their underside markings are unique – like a person’s fingerprint.
The majestic manta rays are the largest of all rays and are on the international threatened species list. Here are just five of the features that make them so extraordinary.
Manta magic
Photo: Gary Cranitch
Mantas are amongst the largest fish in the ocean with a wing span of up to 7 metres and weighing up to two tonnes.
Despite their size, manta rays are completely harmless to humans. They are filter feeders, eating the microscopic zooplankton that drift along in the ocean currents.
Manta rays have the largest brain to body weight ratio of any living fish.
The word manta is Spanish for ‘blanket’ and it’s easy to see why it got this name!
The world’s only pink manta ray has been spectacularly snapped by photographer Kristian Laine swimming off Lady Elliot Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef.
Dubbed Inspector Clouseau (from the Pink Panther movies), the striking manta has been spotted fewer than 10 times since its first sighting in 2015.
Lady Elliot Island hosts an amazing diversity of wildlife both above and below the water which is why we’re working with our partners to protect and restore the island’s precious ecosystem through our Reef Islands Initiative.
National Geographic reported on the amazing sighting and explored why this rare ray is coloured pink. Read the story.
How you can help manta rays
If you’re lucky enough to spot a manta on the Reef and snap a photo of its underbelly, email your pic to the team at Project Manta to contribute to their ongoing research and monitoring program.