All over the world, NGOs, researchers, as well as divers and fishermen, through citizen science projects, are mobilizing to better understand the state of manta populations and provide policymakers with the data needed to develop effective protection measures. In regions like the Maldives or Hawaii, the study of mantas has already progressed, while in others, there is still much to be done!
The Role of the Manta Trust
The Manta Trust, a British association founded in 2011, coordinates most of the global research on mantas. After starting to study Maldivian populations, the association expanded its scope and united the efforts of researchers and local organizations. The goal is twofold: on one hand, to gather knowledge about the two species of mantas to enable governments and international bodies to adopt effective protection measures; on the other, to raise public awareness about manta preservation and, more broadly, ocean conservation.
Both species of mantas are listed on the IUCN Red List, with Mobula birostris classified as endangered and Mobula alfredi as vulnerable. Moreover, they have been mentioned in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 2014. The population of oceanic mantas has experienced an estimated decline of between 50 and 79% over the past three generations, although precise data is lacking.
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