FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Giant Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) gliding through open water.

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris).

Image: Daniel Sasse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Fish
Population trend
Decreasing
Last verified

Conservation overview

The giant manta ray is the largest ray in the world, a gentle filter-feeder with a wingspan that can exceed seven metres. It is assessed as Endangered.

It feeds on plankton and is famous for acrobatic leaps.

Range & habitat

Tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, mostly in the open sea.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Targeted fishing for gill plates
  • Bycatch
  • A very low reproductive rate

Why it matters

A wide-ranging, slow-breeding ocean giant, the giant manta ray is a flagship for protecting open-ocean wildlife and curbing fisheries that target rays.

Gallery

A giant manta ray seen from below.

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris).

Image: Arturo de Frias Marques, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Giant Manta Ray

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the giant manta ray?
It is the largest ray, with a 'wingspan' (disc width) that can exceed seven metres. Despite its size, it feeds on tiny plankton.
Why is the giant manta ray Endangered?
Published assessments cite targeted fishing (notably for their gill plates), bycatch, and a very low reproductive rate that makes recovery slow. See the IUCN Red List.

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