World Manta Day is today! Manta rays live in tropical or sub-tropical waters. They feed on large quantities of zooplankton by swimming with their mouths open. The giant manta (Mobula birostris) lives in more open ocean waters and can have a wing span of 23 feet. The reef manta (Mobula alfredi) can have a wing span of up to 18 feet. Both are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Interesting fact: mantas visit cleaning stations where cleaner fish remove parasites from the mantas’ skins.
Sep 172024