Nursery Areas of the Giant Manta Ray and a Road Map Towards Better Protection of the Species

Abstract

Maintaining our oceans biodiversity is imperative to creating a sustainable future for our blue planet. Many marine species, including sharks, rays, and sea turtles, use specific areas as nursery habitat where juveniles of the species live until they reach maturity. By identifying and prioritizing the management of nurseries, we can protect species of conservation concern at the most vulnerable phase of their life history. This project uses a literature review to identify environmental attributes of nursery habitat for the globally endangered giant manta ray (Mobula birostris). This research was used to create an ecological envelope of potential nursery habitat for the species in the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding region. The resulting spatial analysis reveals gaps in our understanding of giant manta ray habitat requirements and informs recommendations for better management of the species in the Gulf of Mexico region.