manta ray encounters

[captnkurt]

Hola amigos, I have recentlyhad some awesome encounters with the manta rays here in Puerto Vallarta. They have always seemed very docile and obviously let us know when interaction is not wanted by simply turning away and quickly are gone. Other times, they show a fondness for swimming with and even a tow around the block. I am just wondering if anyone has had or seen aggressive behavior on their part. I have been able to get some incredible footage with my canon s70 powershot and am racking up quite a bit of video of these creatures. Just started diving in april and today logged my 40th dive. Yes I am addicted!!!!! Take care everyone

 

[friscuba]

After doing a coulple hundred dives with them, I dont' know if there's such a thing as agressive behavior in the manner you seem to be asking (aggressive in the way of viciousness) about when it comes to mantas. Aggressive feeding behavior maybe, but as far as aggressive interaction with divers or other animals, I think their primary defense is to just get out of the way.

I've been bumped pretty good by mantas going after plankton attracted to my lights, but even then they tend to try to avoid real contact. Very gentle creatures.

By the way, I counted 14 several times on thursday night's dive and heard there were upwards of 17 on last night's dive. I'm leading another group tomorrow, should be fun.

 

[Gidds]

Just keep in mind that any animal can be dangerous purely because they are unpredictable and there's always "that one". I'm glad you are so lucky as to see such beautiful animals in person

 

[captnkurt]

Hey thanks for the reply. I really meant maybe a tail whip or something. I have felt the power of their wings and respect this power very much. I run an offshore fishing charter so safety with the big animals is first and foremost, bringing close to 1000lbs of marlin close to a small boat deserves lots of respect. We dont see the numbers of mantas as you do over there, but I am going to start an identification program here, and have 11 different rays id'd to this point.

 

[laivindil]

We dont see the numbers of mantas as you do over there, but I am going to start an identification program here, and have 11 different rays id'd to this point.

Cool. I don't think Mantas are endangered but it might help provide other useful info to biologists. You might even think about taking some bio classes and study them further, or get a doctorate if you end up liking it enough.

Edit: http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=39417

More data on population status is required to assess the species' conservation status.

Ok maybe I was wrong.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Good on ya Kurt, we have a similar program here and also offer a PADI specialty on manta awareness.

No one here has been injured by a manta, they are very gentle and quite smart, they will move to avoid those pesky photographers....they do not have stingers on their tails like stingrays or eagle rays.


They are in fact in need of protection as they are heavily at risk from all forms of commercial fishing in tropical and temperate waters.

You are on to something good here Kurt, awareness always helps in the fight to protect these magnificent creatures.

M

 

[alcina]

Great to hear you are IDing your mantas...you might want to check out this web site and contact Robert http://mantas.somebox.com/html/index.php - the more the better!

As for viciousness, no, I've never seen it. I have been deliberately rammed head on by a manta though. A good sized male lined me up and ran straight into me. I saw him coming, tried to get out of the way, he adjusted (they are so much more nimble in the water than we are) and kept coming. I put my hand out, he ran into it and his momentum forced us chest to chest. We both came out of the water quite a ways. It was an interesting experience.

He was a leader in a "do as I do" chain of smaller males. Don't know what he was thinking but perhaps in the vein of "you are only puny, I am at the front, get back in your place" Didn't hurt, he didn't "charge" per se and he and I went about our business afterwards. The other mantas in the chain didn't run into me but did swim under me very close as their leader went for another lap.

I think you're right about being as respectful as possible, though!

 

[captnkurt]

Thanks to everybody for the responses, These are magnificent creatures. We will be diving and looking to get more video and pics. I will start to post some pics when I get a little lesson on my computer(I'm an idiot on this thing). Mike, I believe you have been in contact with diver dennis, he posts here also and is talking about a visit with you in Yap?? Well Dennis is my dive buddy and actually is the one responsible for pushing me into diving. He is a great guy and I have learned alot by diving with him. I have had the luxury of diving with some top notch divers since day one and love what I am learning from them all. I feel very lucky to be able to dive here in Vallarta and realize that all this stuff is in my Backyard, I don't know what I did to deserve it!! I will be diving again on wed and we hope to film some more mantas,and we have also been feeding a colony of eels on a high spot that we dove last week, they are providing some beautiful video and stills. thanks all

 

[gandhiReBreather]

Hello kert

Well I got to say that is wonderful you will start something good bless your soul ive dove with mantas in yap in PV those are magnificent creatures and seen very gentle ive been to PV many times and never had the pleasure of meeting you hope this time around I would have the pleasure of meeting you kert I will be in PV the 23rd of deck. It’s going to be a short stay for I have to head on back on the 30 of December.

Hello Mike Veitch
we did have the pleasure of meeting each other in yap 2004 where the mantas come out and observe us divers I say observe us divers because they where there like the ward is out there will be divers in the water and here they come to observe us when we think we are there to observe them funny I enjoyed my self much in yap and you live in a bountiful island the culture there still enchants me how simple life could me and that bitlle nut is something else. kert, mike greeting from sunny SO. Cal.

PSS my spelling is not that great

 

[cuddlefish]

Here is a link to a non-profit manta research organization in Kona, Hawaii. www.mantapacific.org