Manta Ray

About the Manta Ray

The largest ray in the world with a wingspan up to 7 meters. They have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any cold-blooded fish. They are one of the few fish that can pass the mirror self-recognition test. They have been observed visiting cleaning stations where small fish remove parasites - they return to the same stations repeatedly. They can leap completely out of the water for unknown reasons. They are filter feeders, swimming with their mouths open to collect plankton. Their gill plates are used in traditional Chinese medicine, threatening populations. They can live 50+ years. Over 40% of global manta populations have been lost.