The Manta Trust

🏝️ French television network TF1 joined our team in Hanifaru Bay, Maldives, to explore the incredible reef manta rays that gather there. Over 18 years of research, Maldives Manta Conservation Programme has identified more than 1,800 individual reef manta rays in Hanifaru, from a population of over 6,000 in the country! 📸 To protect manta rays, we need to understand them. Our team conducts various surveys in Hanifaru Bay and the broader Baa Atoll area, using techniques like photo-ID to learn about manta ray biology, population size, and overall health. 🌊 Since the Maldives Environmental Protection Agency implemented its management plan in 2012, sustainable tourism practices and strict regulations have helped conserve the Maldivian manta ray population while allowing people to have amazing encounters with these magnificent creatures ethically. 📲 To watch our feature on TF1 and discover more about our work in Baa Atoll, check the link in our bio! 📷 Simon Hilbourne, Umar Ibrahim, Matthew Gledhill & Guy Stevens #MantaTrust #MaldivesMantaConservationProgramme #ReefMantaRays #HanifaruBay #Maldives #BaaAtoll

📷 Our co-founder, Thomas P. Peschak, has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year's Photojournalist Story Award for this series of photographs, documenting the relationship between endangered Amazon river dolphins, and the people with whom they share the river. 🐬 The Amazon river dolphin is a freshwater dolphin species that is adapted to life in the seasonally flooded forest habitat of the Amazon. To navigate murky waters, the dolphins use sonar and their large pectoral fins. 🗣️ Dr Fernando Trujillo, Amazon river dolphin expert, can be seen with skulls from his research collection in this photo series. Dr Trujillo is an advocate for conservation of this species, and helped to coordinate the Global Declaration for River Dolphins. 🌴 Village elders in Colombia dance and sing about the importance of river dolphins, which they revere, but also fear. Their costumes are created using bark from fig trees, and coloured using vegetable dyes. 📲 Find out more about the award and the story behind the photos at the link in our bio! 📷 Thomas P. Peschak #MantaTrust #AmazonRiverDolphin #WPY60 #WildlifePhotographer #ConservationStoryteller #AmazonRiverDolphin #PhotojournalistStoryAward

🌊 Our RahVeshi Programme coordinator, Fauz Fath-hee, is on the latest episode of Wild & Unprotected: A Conservation Podcast, talking about the work he does with the Programme, his journey into conservation, and an inspiring story about a very special manta ray... 📲 The episode is available now on all podcast platforms, and you can also find it in the link in our bio! #MantaTrust #MaldivesMantaRays #RahVeshiProgramme #MarineConservation #MaldivesMantaConservationProgramme

🌊 Join STEM Ambassador Jen Spacagna, Education Manager at the Manta Trust, for an exciting live talk that takes you into the mysterious world of the ocean. In ‘Secrets of the Ocean’, you will uncover incredible marine creatures and learn about some of the most thrilling discoveries from the past decade. Jen will also talk about the fascinating role of a marine scientist—perfectly timed for Green Careers Week! 🖥️ This FREE live talk on Microsoft Teams, aimed at primary aged students (most suitable for KS1/2), will be informative, engaging and fun and there will be the opportunity to ask questions afterwards. 📲 To register, head to https://buff.ly/3YlBYmg, and to find out more about education at the Manta Trust, head to the link in our bio to check out our Education Portal, full of resources and activities for a range of ages! #MantaTrust #STEMHub #STEMLearning #SecretsOfTheOcean #Webinar #MarineBiologyWebinar #MantaRay #MantaRayResearch #MantaRayConservation

🛡️ Marine Protected Areas: Design and Management 🛡️ 🌊 Marine Protected Areas are a well known and valuable conservation strategy, but to be effective, they have to be designed and managed with marine life in mind. The Manta Trust and our affiliate projects have been instrumental in implementing MPAs and conservation strategies across the globe. 🇲🇻 Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives is an important aggregation for reef manta rays (and whale sharks), and in 2009, was designated as an MPA thanks to contributions of data and evidence from the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme (MMCP), who also worked with the Maldivian Ministry of Environment to create a management plan for the area, ensuring conservation efforts were sustainable and took local communities into account. The purpose was to sustainably minimise the effect of tourism on reef manta rays that aggregate in the MPA to feed. This came into full effect in 2012. 🏝️ The Chagos Archipelago is the world's second-largest MPA. This remote area creates a unique environment for the reef manta ray population, which is shielded from many major human threats. One of the goals of the Chagos Manta Ray Project is to assess the effectiveness of the MPA through long-term monitoring of reef manta rays in the area 📲 Find out more about our affiliate projects and their work to protect manta rays and marine ecosystems at the link in our bio! 📷 Guy Stevens #MantaTrust #MaldivesMantaConservationProgramme #ChagosMantaRayProject #MantaRayProtection #MantaRayConservation #MarineConservation #MarineProtectedAreas

📣 NEW SCIENCE ALERT! Post-release survival of manta and devil rays! 🔍 In our recent collaborative global study, we examined the survival rates of four manta and devil ray species caught in purse seine fisheries targeting tuna across tropical and subtropical oceans. 🌊 Our findings showed moderate survival rates (20-75% depending on the species), but with optimal handling and quick releases, survival can improve significantly (50-95% survival probability). The secret? Swiftly returning them to the water after capture! 🐠 While these results are promising, challenges remain—especially for bentfin devil rays, which demonstrated lower survival even under ideal conditions. Ongoing collaboration with fishery stakeholders is essential to improve handling practices and boost survival rates. 🌟 This work was a true team effort, made possible by the invaluable support of fishing captains and crews, fishery observer programs, and initiatives like TUNACONS. 🔗 To dive deeper into our findings, check out the full study linked below! https://buff.ly/4hxh2kX Infographic by Jasmine Corbett Illustrations by Marc Dando #MantaRays #DevilRays #Conservation #FisheriesResearch #Sustainability #OceanConservation

🏝️ The RahVeshi Programme is an initiative by the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme which aims to develop long-term, locally led manta ray and marine conservation across the Maldives, operating in Addu Atoll, Fuvahmulah Atoll, and Makunudhoo Atoll. 🌊 Through providing training, internships, resources, and job opportunities for local people, the RahVeshi Programme is developing local capacity for manta ray research and conservation in the Maldives, developing consistent access to significant study sites for these charismatic animals. 📢 The Programme aims to support grassroots conservation initiatives and help small island communities to advocate against unsustainable development in their regions. By bringing together people and the ocean, the RahVeshi Programme is simultaneously promoting local opportunities and improving conservation efforts. 📲 If you would like to find out more about, and support, the RahVeshi Programme, head to https://buff.ly/4dQJJGM 📷 Simon Hilbourne #MantaTrust #RahVeshiProgramme #MaldivianMantas #GrassrootsConservation #MantaRayResearch #MaldivianCommunities #MarineConservation

💻 Join us for an exciting webinar on Wednesday, November 6th, at 6 PM ET, where we’ll dive into the fascinating world of manta rays, with a special focus on the population in Florida! 🌊 Hosted by Coco, Manta Trust’s Youth Ocean Ambassador, the session will feature guest speaker Jessica Pate, a research scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation and founder of the Florida Manta Project. 🤝 Our Ocean Ambassador Program is designed for 13-18 year olds and offers a unique opportunity for young people to get involved with marine conservation. Participants have the chance to learn from leading marine biologists at the forefront of marine research, and have the opportunity to develop their own projects to promote ocean conservation, with support from the Manta Trust team. We will be looking for our 2025 Ocean Ambassadors before the end of the year! 📲 Sign up for the webinar and find out more about Manta Trust Ocean Ambassadors at the link in our bio! #MantaTrust #OceanAmbassador #FloridaMantaProject #MantaRayWebinar #OceanConservationWebinar #MantaRayConservation

🎄 Get a head start on your Christmas shopping and support manta ray conservation on our online store! 🏷️ From now until the 10th of November, use the code FIVEOFF to get £5 off ALL orders over £70! What's more, the 1st to the 3rd of November is freepost weekend, so get free delivery on all orders! 👕 We've got a range of manta themed t-shirts, hoodies, jumpers, and accessories perfect for the manta-mad person in your life this festive season. Proceeds from sales directly support our research and conservation work. 📲 Visit the link in our bio to visit our store! #MantaRay #MantaTrust #ChristmasShopping #MantaRayMerchandise #ReefManta #OceanicManta #DevilRay

🏝️ The RahVeshi Programme is an initiative by the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme which aims to develop long-term, locally led manta ray and marine conservation across the Maldives, operating in Addu Atoll, Fuvahmulah Atoll, and Makunudhoo Atoll. 🌊 Through providing training, internships, resources, and job opportunities for local people, the RahVeshi Programme is developing local capacity for manta ray research and conservation in the Maldives, developing consistent access to significant study sites for these charismatic animals. 📢 The Programme aims to support grassroots conservation initiatives and help small island communities to advocate against unsustainable development in their regions. By bringing together people and the ocean, the RahVeshi Programme is simultaneously promoting local opportunities and improving conservation efforts. 📲 If you would like to find out more about, and support, the RahVeshi Programme, head to https://buff.ly/4dQJJGM 📷 Simon Hilbourne #MantaTrust #RahVeshiProgramme #MaldivianMantas #GrassrootsConservation #MantaRayResearch #MaldivianCommunities #MarineConservation