Manta Ray Manta birostris (Donndorff, 1798) in Captivity
Data, text, and photos for this page were collected
by Filipe Pereira
Manta Ray Bibliography (in progress)
Photograph | Aquarium and Details | DW (m) M (kg) |
Sex | Time in captivity |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Lisbon Oceanarium, Lisbon (Portugal) |
3.5 | F | 5 yr |
Ocean Expo Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) Has tried several times to exhibit manta rays in their 1.1 million-litter tank (27m long, 12m wide and 3.5m deep) but only two of them has survived (one captured in1992 and the other in 1998), which were transfered to the new facility in 2002 (see below). |
10 yr | |||
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Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) |
3.5 - 4.2 | 15 yr | |
![]() 16 June 2007 |
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) Update by Filipe Pereira: On June 16, 2007 for the first time in the world, a manta ray was born in captivity, 374 days after its parents mated in the Kuroshio Sea Exhibit. The newborn female was 1.9 m TL at birth. The event was recorded by aquarium staff. During its short stay among the other residents of the 7.5 million litter tank, the pup suffered several agressions from its own father. He chased her constantly from behind causing the pup to collide several times against the tank walls. The newborn also collided with a 7.5 m long whale shark. It was moved to a quarantine tank but was found dead 5 days later, on June 21. A necropsy revealed internal bleeding and several abrasions on her left eye and other parts of her body. The exact cause of death is under investigation. |
1.9 TL | F | 5 d |
![]() 17 June 2008 |
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) Update by Filipe Pereira: The Okinawa Aquarium has once again become the birth place for a manta ray, one year after the first pup was born, which was killed by its father. A second pup was born on June 18, 2008. It was a male and measured 1.82 meters diskwidth. To avoid the problem with the first pup, the second pup was transfered after birth to an ocean pen set (2 km South from the Aquarium). There it will be maintained until it gains the ideal size and feeding pattern of its parents and the other specimens displayed in the 7500 m3 Kuroshio Sea exhibit. For further details, please check http://www.kaiyouhaku.com/en/news/08061901_01_info.html . |
1.82 | M | > 1 yr so far |
![]() 30 April 2009 |
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) On April 30 2009, the Okinawa Aquarium inroduced the juvenile manta ray born on June 17, 2008 in their 7.500 tons Kuroshio Sea exhibit , where it joined its parents and the other two Manta birostris already on display. For almost a year, the second b manta ray pup was kept, fed, and observed at the ocean pen, where it had grown to more than 2 m TL. This juvenile is the first successfully captive-bred and captive-grown manta ray in the World. The captive population of manta rays at the aquarium is now 5 which is the largest collection of manta rays on display in any aquarium. |
>2 m TL | M | > 1 yr so far |
![]() 24 June 2009 |
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa (Japan) For the third time, a manta ray (Manta birostris) was born at the Okinawa Aquarium, in Japan! It happened on June 24th, 2009, at 16h58. The same couple that have bred two times before made it once again and a new baby manta ray was born.. The newborn was taken to the ocean-pen where it will grow safely and be trained so it can join its parents, brother and two more manta rays, as well as three whale sharks and the multi-species community of the 7500 m3 Kuroshio Sea Tank. |
1.92; 70 | M? | |
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Atlantis Aquarium at Paradise Island Resort (Bahamas) A Manta birostris was caught off the island´s shores and displayed in their 1.7 million-gallon tank for more than 3 years, growing to a huge 4.5 meters of wing-span. At that size, aquarium staff decided to release the animal; the first successful attempt to release an animal that large by any aquarium. Presently, another specimen caught in the same location is kept in the same exhibit. They have been exhibiting manta rays since 1998, and there were three specimens brought to the facilty and later successfully released back into the sea. Presently there are three specimens on exhbit. |
4.5 | >3 yr | |
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Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium, Osaka (Japan) Together with the whale shark, the manta ray (Manta birostris) represents one of the main attractions in the 5,4 million-litter "Pacific Ocean" tank, with almost 4 meters wing-span. |
~4 | ||
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Ushaka Sea World (Durban, South Africa) "Nandi" was rescued from a shark-net set in one of Durban's beaches and taken to the Ushaka Sea World to be treated for wounds. The recovery was completed in a 580,000 gallons tank representing the open ocean, where she lived for a year. "Nandi" is currently on display at the Georgia Aquarium (see below). |
~2.4 | F | 1 yr |
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Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta |
>2.4-3.6 | F | >2.5 yr |
Photograph | Aquarium and Details | DW (m) M (kg) |
Sex | Time in captivity |