Indonesia | Over 1,000 endangered reef manta rays counted in Komodo NP

Tangled up too often in fishing nets, manta rays have been plunging toward extinction as fishing pressure and other stressors take a toll on their populations. But the species has found a safe haven in Komodo National Park, a swath of water around Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands.

A new study identified an aggregation of 1,085 reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) in the waters of Komodo National Park (KNP), a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans more than 1,800 square kilometers (700 square miles) of islands and ocean. Attracted by the plankton-rich waters of the park, manta rays gather here to feed, breed, and clean themselves.

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/05/for-reef-mantas-indonesias-komodo-national-park-is-a-ray-of-hope/