Where can you see manta rays in Australia?
Manta rays can be seen at Lady Elliot Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef, at Coral Bay and Exmouth along Ningaloo Reef, and at North Stradbroke Island's Manta Bommie.
Manta rays are large filter-feeding rays with wide, wing-like pectoral fins. Reef manta rays, the species most often seen in Australia, can reach about four to five metres across, while oceanic mantas grow even larger.
They feed on plankton, swimming with their mouths open and using fleshy lobes called cephalic fins to funnel food inside. They also visit cleaning stations on reefs, where small fish pick parasites off their skin.
Identifying mantas
Each manta has a unique pattern of spots on its belly, like a fingerprint. Researchers and citizen scientists use photos to identify individuals, and Project Manta has catalogued hundreds of mantas in eastern Australia.
Lady Elliot Island is known as the home of the manta ray, with sightings possible all year, especially in winter. At Coral Bay, swim-with-manta tours run year-round.
Mantas are harmless to people, as they have no stinging barb. Swimmers are asked to keep a few metres away and never touch them, as touching can damage the protective mucus on their skin.
Did You Know?
Manta rays have one of the largest brain-to-body size ratios of any fish.