Manta Ray Research cont… the Yap manta ray ID database just grew by two. These photos help unveil the lives of these mysterious animals and have guided local conservation and protective regulation development with Yap’s manta ray and shark sanctuary laws. Marine animal ID database records the location, time and a status report of the animal, such as; pregnant, scarred, bit, missing a tail, injured, matured and it’s behavior when it was seen. These small encounters add up over time and tell us a lot about our Yap manta rays. Manta ray conservation in Yap is as simple as photo ID’s with the dive site and date. An email came through to manta-id@mantaray.com with belly shots of manta rays encountered this August during our annual Photo School event. This encounter was in Goofnuw channel during a new moon incoming tide which brings the clearest water to Yap’s channels. Two rays were identified as new additions to our resident manta ID database. A known resident female had a young male in train that turned out to be a first photo ID. Another ID was confirmed with a belly shot of a young female. Both of these animals were checked in our manta ray ID database first, then sent to manta-id@mantaray.com as a possible new ID.

Check your belly shots

iIf you submit a manta belly shot of a new animal, you get to name it! That could be you… and a name of your choice for these two new Yap mantas.