Manta Rays: The Mysterious Giants in our Backyard
February 10, 2021
Dr. Joshua Stewart, Associate Director, The Manta Trust
Manta rays are some of the most poorly studied ocean giants, and are threatened by fisheries, ship strikes, habitat degradation, and a suite of other human impacts. Many populations around the world are in decline, and the species was recently listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the IUCN red list. Meanwhile, an undescribed species of manta ray has been hiding in plain sight in the Atlantic, including at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. What are these rays doing off the coast of Texas? What are scientists learning about this population, and what remains to be discovered? Join Joshua Stewart, Associate Director of The Manta Trust, to find out.