Abstract

Manta rays are incredible animals that attract people from all over the globe who wish to swim, snorkel and dive with them. But sadly, these gentle giants are sometimes injured because of human activities. For example, they may get tangled up in fishing line, or accidentally hit by boats. Manta rays can also be injured from natural causes, such as predation attempts or disease.

This study wanted to find out more about manta ray injuries in the Maldives, such as what are the different causes of their injuries and how many manta rays are injured.