USA · Global Manta Ray Program
Hawaii Oceanic Manta Project
Oceanic manta rays occur in Hawaiian waters, yet little is known about them there, so we are compiling sightings from researchers and divers to describe where and when the species occurs around the islands.
Oceanic manta rays occur in Hawaiian waters, yet little is known about them there. We are working with local researchers and the diving community to address that gap.
Hawaii’s reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) are among the best-studied and most-visited mantas in the world, thanks to the famous night dives off Kona. In contrast, their larger relative, the oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris), is encountered sporadically around the islands, often far from shore. No dedicated research program has yet followed oceanic mantas in Hawaii, and their movements, their abundance, and the areas most important to them all remain open questions.
The oceanic manta ray is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and as Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Without baseline information on where the species occurs in Hawaiian waters, however, it is difficult to assess its local status or to identify the places that may warrant protection.
This project compiles existing sightings from researchers, dive operators, photographers, and fishers across the islands to describe where and when oceanic manta rays occur in Hawaii.
The project is part of MMF’s research in the USA, alongside the Florida Manta Project. Jessica Pate, MMF’s Country Manager for the US and a Senior Scientist, founded the Florida Manta Project in 2016 and is leading the collation of Hawaiian sighting records from multiple contributors, with a view to publishing a study of their distribution.
Objectives
Establish a baseline for oceanic manta rays in Hawaiian waters, and use it to direct future research and conservation toward priority areas.
- Compile existing sightings from researchers and citizen scientists into a single dataset, and publish a study of when and where oceanic manta rays occur around the Hawaiian Islands.
- Once sufficient sightings have been compiled, use species distribution modeling (statistical methods that predict where a species is likely to occur) to identify potential hotspots that would justify dedicated fieldwork.
- Build respectful, long-term relationships with Hawaii-based researchers, tourism operators, and management agencies, so that any future work is led with, not imposed on, the local community.
- Lay the groundwork for a longer-term research program on oceanic manta rays in the central Pacific.
Support the Hawaii Oceanic Manta Project
Your gift helps us compile oceanic manta ray sightings from across the Hawaiian Islands and establish the baseline this endangered species needs.
Our work on oceanic manta rays in Hawaii
A collaborative sightings dataset
The first phase is collaborative and desk-based. We are collating existing sighting records from multiple contributors, who will be co-authors on the resulting publication. Photographs are especially valuable, because the spot pattern on each ray’s underside identifies individuals, whether the image was taken by a scientist or a snorkeler.
Mark Hackney, a Hawaii-based manta ray researcher, initiated this collaboration with his own sighting records of oceanic mantas, and leads the project.
Behavior
Little is known about how oceanic mantas use Hawaiian waters, including where they feed and whether they reproduce there. The compiled records will help direct future fieldwork on these questions.
Contributing a sighting
If you have photographed an oceanic manta ray in Hawaii, we would like to hear from you. Please include a photograph of the ray’s underside if you have one, together with the date and location of the sighting. Contact the MMF team to contribute a sighting.
Mark Hackney
Jessica Pate
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