Researchers tracked baby giant manta rays in Central America using acoustic and satellite telemetry alongside photo identification across five locations from 2018 to 2025, revealing that the young animals stay within shallow coastal refuges to avoid open-ocean predators like sharks and orcas, according to a study published in Frontiers in Fish Science.
Study Tracks Pups in Central American Coastal Sanctuaries
Giant manta rays can grow up to nine meters long with a disc size of seven meters across and weigh up to 2,000 kilograms (or up to 4,409 pounds, reaching lengths of up to 30 feet), leaving mature adults with very few natural enemies once they reach adulthood at around eight to ten years old, as detailed in research published in Frontiers in Fish Science. But manta ray babies, known as pups, cannot rely on their size to protect them from open-ocean hunters such as orcas and several shark species.
These areas keep the young rays away from predator hunting grounds while offering plenty of food, hiding spots, and essential reef services like cleaning. Juvenile rays in shallow waters off the coast of Florida have an average of half a dozen groupies such as cobia, remora, or jack-fish gathered near their wings, with some remoras attached and one popular ray hosting over 200 followers. The investigation marks the first study to focus specifically on giant manta ray movement in Central America.
We show that manta rays’ lifestyle isn’t a one-size-fits-all behavior. Giant manta rays in Central America undergo a dramatic shift in space use as they mature.
Jeffry Madrigal-Mesén, lead author and project leader of Mantas Costa Rica
Telemetry Records 12,000 Detections Across Five Locations
Sound pulses tracked fine-scale movements across coastal aggregation spots, including nearshore cleaning stations that act as primary social hubs where courtship and reproductive interactions take place. To uncover the movement patterns of these marine animals, researchers monitored 59 individual rays using acoustic telemetry between 2018 and 2025. Satellite telemetry tracked long-distance movements for 12 individuals, while photo identification helped catalog individual animals.
If we hadn’t used all three technologies together, we simply wouldn’t have been able to piece this puzzle together. Combining these tools turned fragmented data into a unified, undeniable story.
Jeffry Madrigal-Mesén, lead author
The combined dataset produced more than 12,000 detections. While juveniles remained in shallow waters, nine mature adults embarked on expansive migrations along the continental shelf break.
Industrial Fisheries Threaten Migrating Adults in Open Waters
Adult mantas face severe threats once they venture into the open ocean, while coastal nurseries and marine reserves keep young rays safe. Legal protections drop to zero outside of isolated marine reserves, exposing the migrating animals to industrial fisheries and vessel strikes.
The study’s authors emphasize that marine protected areas alone are insufficient for highly mobile marine species. They advocate for establishing multi-national conservation swimways that connect domestic juvenile coastal refuges with adult migratory corridors.
This study opens a new chapter for manta ray research in Central America. We hope it sparks fresh enthusiasm and encourages future collaborators to join us in executing the new ideas and research projects we have planned for the conservation of this species.
Jeffry Madrigal-Mesén, project leader of Mantas Costa Rica