The world's largest manta ray, a giant oceanic manta ray, was recently observed near Jones Beach State Park in Long Island, New York, a rare sight in the waters off one of the United States' busiest beaches.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) shared a video of the creature, which can have a wingspan of up to 26 feet and weigh over 4,000 pounds. The footage captured the manta ray hunting for food, with another fish appearing to ride along its body.
Oceanic manta rays are filter feeders that consume zooplankton and medium-sized fish. While they typically inhabit tropical, subtropical, and temperate oceans, they sometimes venture into New York waters during warmer months. Jones Beach State Park attracts approximately six million visitors annually.
Manta rays are considered a threatened species, having been nearly decimated due to the demand for their gill plates in international trade and traditional medicines. Their populations are vulnerable to overfishing and entanglement in fishing gear. Furthermore, their reproductive biology, including late sexual maturity and infrequent births, makes recovery challenging. Female manta rays reach sexual maturity between eight and 10 years old and typically give birth to one or two pups every two years, with a gestation period of up to 13 months.
Researchers are investigating recent findings in South Florida, where dozens of juvenile manta rays were discovered in 2020, suggesting the area may serve as a nursery. This would be only the third such nursery identified globally, with others previously found in Indonesia and the Gulf of Mexico. However, urban environments present numerous dangers to these creatures, including boat propellers, sewage, and beachgoers.
Giant oceanic manta rays are rarely encountered, as regional groups typically consist of only 600 to 2,000 individuals. Their solitary nature, open-ocean habits, and slow reproduction rates contribute to their vulnerability. While the fish accompanying the manta ray in the video was not definitively identified, it could have been a shark or a smaller fish, such as a suckerfish, which often travel with manta rays for protection or to scavenge for food.