Where are they found?
Mantas are found all around the world; however some important differences in range and habitat exist between the oceanic mantas and their smaller reef manta counterparts. Both species live pelagic lives in the open ocean, visiting reefs to feed and be cleaned. However, oceanic mantas have the wider geographic range of the two species occurring in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters. This species is more migratory in its nature, commonly sighted along productive coastlines with regular upwellings, oceanic island groups and offshore pinnacles and seamounts. Reports of this species range from to 31ºN (South Carolina, USA) and 36ºS (North Island, New Zealand). The resident reef mantas are more commonly sighted inshore around coral reefs, tropical island groups, atolls and bays, as well as along productive coastlines. As the name suggests, this species is more resident to tropical waters with smaller home ranges.