Let’s talk mantas! There are three species of manta rays: reef manta rays, giant oceanic manta rays, and the newly discovered Atlantic manta ray. Atlantic and giant mantas are around twice the size of their reef counterparts, reaching up to 8 metres wide. As the names suggest, reef mantas are found close to shore near reefs, while Atlantic and giant oceanic mantas roam further offshore. The waters around the Revillagigedo Islands, off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, form the largest fully Marine Protected Area (MPA) in North America, and they’re a giant manta hotspot. A recent study estimated a superpopulation of over 6,000 individuals here, making Revillagigedo home to the second-largest aggregation of giant mantas on Earth. Since the MPA was established in 2017, marine life here has thrived. The area is now so full of life that it “spills out” into surrounding waters, helping support a healthy ecosystem and local fishers’ livelihoods. Read the study and watch our vide...