The Maldives is home to up to 5,000 reef manta rays
Following the recent protection of manta rays by the Government of Indonesia, other countries are also beginning to recognize the value of their manta ray populations.
The Republic of Maldives has one of the largest Manta alfredi populations in the world, estimated to number around 5,000 individuals. The mantas are resident year round, migrating throughout the nation’s 26 atolls as the changing monsoons drive seasonal changes in the distribution of their planktonic food. These mantas are an important resource, generating over US$ 8 million every year through manta watching tourism.
But despite this value, manta rays are not protected in the Maldives. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that the Maldives became an official party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 2013, the same year that mantas were listed under this agreement. By becoming a party to the convention, the Maldives is required to regulate the trade of these species.
Our friends at The Manta Trust have launched a campaign to urge the President of the Republic of the Maldives to declare nationwide protection for manta rays and their relatives. You can support this noble initiative by adding you voice to the petition today!
