Graceful Giants in Maldives: Manta Rays & Eagle Rays
The Maldives is home to an incredible array of ocean creatures, including elegant manta rays and eye-catching eagle rays. These species captivate divers and snorkelers with their graceful movements and fascinating behaviours. Join us to learn and discover their world and learn more about these incredible rays found in the ocean around Veligandu, Maldives.
Rays, including manta rays, eagle rays, and stingrays, belong to the cartilaginous fish subclass, making them close relatives of sharks. Their skeletal structure is composed of cartilage rather than bone, which provides flexibility and hydrodynamic efficiency.
Manta Rays: The Gentle Giants of the Ocean
Manta Rays (Mobula) have a diamond-shaped body with an impressive wingspan, which they use for propulsion in a motion resembling a bird’s flight. A small dorsal fin is located at the base of their elongated tail. There are two main species of manta rays:
Oceanic Mantas (Manta Birostris)
Reef Manta (Manta Alfredi)
Their dorsal surface features can distinguish oceanic and Reef Mantas. Oceanic Mantas have a T-shaped pattern, while reef mantas have a V-shaped pattern. Manta rays can be found in both shallow coastal and deep oceanic waters. They often visit cleaning stations where fish remove parasites from their bodies. They glide with open mouths as filter feeders, consuming plankton, small fish, and krill. Manta rays are highly intelligent, social, and migratory. These vulnerable creatures are protected under Maldives and international conservation efforts.
Eagle Rays: The Graceful Gliders
Eagle Rays (Aetobatus narinari) are known for their elegant, wing-like pectoral fins, which allow them to glide effortlessly through the water. They have a diamond-shaped body, with pointed fins giving them a sleek, aerodynamic appearance.
Eagle rays are often seen gracefully gliding over sandy bottoms and coral reefs, searching for mollusks and crustaceans. Typically solitary, they may form groups during migration. Unlike filter-feeding manta rays, eagle rays use their strong jaws to crush the shells of their prey, including clams and crustaceans.
These rays can be found in both shallow lagoons and deeper coastal waters, and their striking spotted patterns make them a favourite sight for divers and snorkellers. While they are generally elusive and shy, lucky snorkelers and divers may witness their acrobatic breaches out of the water.
Veligandu, located in the South Ari Atoll, Maldives, is a prime location for manta and eagle ray encounters. Its proximity to key manta hotspots makes sightings frequent. Explore the Manta Ray Spa, where mantas enjoy a natural cleansing ritual, or spot eagle rays gliding through the house reef and lagoon with Veligandu’s excursion programs. From December to April, snorkelers and divers find high chances of witnessing these incredible underwater gliders and wonderful adventures.
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