Photograph manta rays for research

Where do manta rays go? How frequently do they visit known aggregation sites and how far do they travel? Photo identification (photo-ID) is one of the key research methods used by the Project Manta team to help answer some of these questions.

Project Manta relies heavily on water users who contribute photographs and videos, along with their manta ray observations, to the Project Manta database.

Manta rays have unique markings on their bellies

Individual manta rays can be recognised by their unique spot patterns (called ventral markings) found on their underside, in the same way human fingerprints are used to identify people.

Manta rays are intelligent, curious animals that will spend considerable time around scuba and free divers in the water if they don't feel threatened. This gives divers a great opportunity to photograph manta rays and take those informative ‘belly shots’ while they undertake their regular feeding or cleaning behaviours.

Meet, Taurus

He was first recorded by citizen scientist Peter Allen off Lady Elliot Island back in 1982, when he was already a mature male.

Project Manta encountered him in 2009 and since then we have recorded over 50 sightings of him via photo-ID, all from Lady Elliot Island. Given we know it takes at least 10 years for males to reach maturity, that means Taurus is at least 50 years old.

What photo ID can tell us 

Photo identification allows us to follow individual manta rays in the wild to find out information about:

• population size and demography;
• growth rates and age of maturity;
• pregnancy and reproductive activity;
• movements and habitat preferences;
• incidence of injuries.