Page 15 - Fiji Traveller Issue 4
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Reef vs Oceanic Mantas
The mantas that roam Fiji’s oceans are of two types. Reef mantas, the smaller of the two cousins, usually
grow up to four metres between wingtips, and inhabit shallower waters fringing coastal areas. Oceanic
mantas, on the other hand, can acquire a wingspan of up to seven metres, and are more pelagic in nature.
They mostly navigate open waters, but occasionally also venture closer to shore in search of food and visits
to cleaning stations, where resident parasitic species pick away all the filth and grime the animals gather
during their time out at sea.
Apart from their size, the two types of manta rays can be told apart by the markings they carry on their
dark dorsal (top) sides. Reef mantas have two light grey strokes dominating the area on top of its head,
forming a ‘Y’ shape between them. In oceanic mantas, the strokes are brighter and more contrasted to their
skin colour, and the shape formed between them is more of a ‘T’.
Interestingly, the ventral (bottom) side of manta rays have spotted markings that are unique to each
creature, much like fingerprints. If you happen to snap a picture of a manta clearly showing its belly,
you might want to forward it to the folks at Manta Trust, who could then use your image to identify and
monitor the movement of manta rays in Fijian waters. The best part: if you manage to click a previously
undocumented animal, you even get to name it!
the world). All in all, it’s a regular day in the water at best, not the sun from above me. With my camera rolling away, I follow the
unenjoyable, but nowhere close to what I really came here for. creature for some time, mesmerised by its elegance and poise
The scheduled 25 minutes are soon over. Our air supplies are as it effortlessly glides through the water.
still looking good, so we ponder over whether or not to rise to Then, having obliged me with my long-awaited sighting, the
12 metres and advance for another 10 minutes, just in case we creature suddenly picks up speed and disappears into the
luck out. In my mind, however, the reality of not having seen a darkness once again. The entire episode feels like a lifetime, but
manta ray on yet another dive has already begun to settle in. my watch tells me it was no longer than two minutes.
I agree, almost half-heartedly, to the extended push, not really We promptly turn the dive around, and head back towards
caring about the end result. the boat after completing a safety stop en route. I pop my head
And then it happens. out of the water, still reeling from all the adrenaline rushing
A dark silhouette, almost of alien proportions, slowly rises from through my veins, a beatific smile pasted semi-permanently on
the chasm below us, its kite-shaped profile becoming clearer as my face. "Congratulations," the boatman yells at me from the
it gracefully approaches us from the distance. We divert from deck, needing no more evidence to guess I had finally broken
our own course and inch closer to its glide path, all the while my manta jinx. "Thanks," I yell back mechanically, lost for any
respecting the distance that must be kept between humans and more words amidst all the excitement.
wildlife. Some 10 metres away, the manta ray comes into our Deeper in my mind, the experience leaves me with the indelible
clear view for the first time. It’s huge, about 3.5 metres from impression of one of the ocean’s most sublime encounters.
one wingtip to the other, its feeding lobes coiled like a funnel in Powerful and poignant, its vision still pleasantly haunts me in my
front, its tail stretched behind like the dazzling trail of a prophetic sleep, and has me in its irresistible grasp even to this day. I have
comet blazing through the night sky. seen many manta rays in Fijian waters since, but nothing beats
I quickly fire up my camera and turn on my dive lights to add the sheer thrill of the very first time.
some illumination for the purpose of filming a quick video. Like For those of you who are yet to come under the witching spell
a sentient creature reacting to an unfamiliar stimulus, I notice of this beautiful animal, I highly recommend you try it, whether on
the manta ray veer from its own path and come towards me, as a dive or a snorkel safari. After all, there’s no place in the world
if to take a closer look. As it slowly glides past, less than three better than Fijian waters to do so. And who knows, your story
metres overhead, its giant wings sweep out to briefly block out might just be more amazing than mine.
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