Palau's Magestic Mantas - MANTA - PALAU A School of Mantas - MANTA - PALAU Manta Ray Upclose - MANTA - PALAU The Rare Black Manta - MANTA - PALAU Giant Manta with Diver - MANTA - PALAU Manta Swimming on the surface of the water - MANTA - PALAU
What we do

  • Study manta movements around Palau
  • Observe, study and photo ID mantas without using invasive tagging methods
  • Survey new manta sites around local reefs
  • Make recommendations to the states and government for proper site management
  • Maintain & update manta ID web database
  • Collect data on manta behavior & sightings
  • Share data with other Micronesian and Pacific island manta range countries

PROJECT PARTNERS:

2013 Manta Project Sponsors - MANTA - PALAU

Manta rays have become a major attraction for snorkelers and divers visiting Palau, but little is known about these beautiful creatures because they spend most of their time in open ocean. The only times we get to see them is when they come close to the reefs to feed or get cleaned at coral cleaning stations.

Mantas are vulnerable to boat and tourism pressure, and wrong behavior by groups of divers and snorkelers may cause the mantas to move away from their traditional mating and birthing sites in Palau which they return to each season. Popular and crowded manta sites such as German Channel need to be managed more carefully by the stakeholders to ensure that both mantas and visitors can safely enjoy these encounters.

We started this web database to collect information on Palau's individual mantas, and share with you what we have learned from observing and photographing them in Palau for the last 25 years.

www.etpisonmuseum.org Etpison Museum - PALAU - ETPISON MUSEUM - MANTA ID
PADI SPECIALTY - mANTA ID DIVER PALAU


To prepare visitors better for Palau manta encounters, the Neco Marine 5* PADI facility is now offering the new PADI Specialty Course: Manta Identification Diver Palau.

Visitors taking this course will not only learn about mantas and how to identify individual animals, but also about how to position themselves under water and be more aware of the animals and their behavior so as not to disturb or chase them away during an encounter.

Neco Marine - PALAU - NECO MARINE - MANTA ID www.necomarine.com
Manta rays activity book


For 2013, Kids Activity booklets will be distributed for free to all 5th and 6th school grades on Palau. The 45 page booklets include quizzes, mazes, stickers, coloring pages and educational information about manta rays in Palau.

Manta Rays Activity Booklet

submit a photo
Submit Your Photos of Mantas in Palau - MANTA - PALAU
You can help add important data by submitting Jpeg images of any Palau manta bellies you do not see on this site, with the location and date of the encounter. We will update this database each season. Submit photo now.