giant manta ray award winning photography

There are a various factors that led to this critical state of affairs. The IUCN categorized the manta rays as “Vulnerable” in between the “Near Threatened” and “Endangered” species. According to the IUCN “The rate of population reduction appears to be high in several regions, as much as 80% over the last three generations (approximately 75 years), and globally a decline of 30% is strongly suspected.” Very little is known about them so far but all the studies being led are highlighting a drastic decline in their populations. We hope this picture will create the awareness that mantas are some of the most peaceful and graceful underwater creatures. We would like to use this picture as a flagship picture to defend mantas and especially the giant oceanic mantas. Robert Rubin who is one of the foremost experts on Manta Birostris and from their very enthusiastic feedback, it would seem that the picture is indeed the first picture of a Manta Birostris giving birth. Robert Aston, The Manta Network Executive Director shared the photo with Dr. When he returned from holidays, Martin contacted The Manta Network in California to get an opinion on what is actually happening on the photo. I immediately thought this might be the unbelievable capture of a manta birth but I am not a marine biologist. None the divers, nor their guide noticed anything particular happening with the mantas during the actual dive but when they came back to the island and viewed the pictures we noticed something unusual in one of the manta’s pelvic area. Martin was busy enjoying the show and capturing this underwater ballet on camera. The divers were all mesmerized by the spectacle and couldn’t believe their luck to have spotted the mantas and have them twirling over them for some magical minutes. During the dive a group of 3 Mantas Birostris were twirling over the shallow reef to feed to the delight of the group of divers observing their graceful underwater moves. So it would seem that Martin is the first person to have ever photographed a Manta Birostris in the process of giving birth in its natural environment, and this happened during the first week of January 2013! The shot was taken during a dive in the southern part of the Ari Atoll in the Maldives in a dive spot famous for spotting mantas. No one has ever seen them give birth so far. When my friend Martin Ureta came to the Maldives for a dive holiday he was far from imagining that he would be the amazingly lucky and first ever photographer of a giant oceanic manta giving birth in its natural environment!ĭespite a growing number of scientific studies on manta populations very little is known thus far about the giant oceanic Manta ray also known as Manta Birostris.

Giant manta ray award winning photography