OUR VISION
A sustainable future for the oceans where manta rays thrive in healthy, diverse marine ecosystems.
OUR MISSION
We are a registered Non-Profit Organization under Mexican Law.
The Manta Caribbean Project is dedicated to taking a multidisciplinary approach to the conservation of manta and mobulid rays, and their habitat in the Caribbean Sea through robust science and research, while raising awareness and providing education to the community and stakeholders.
THE PROJECT
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Located in the northern Yucatan Peninsula, the transition zone of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea is thriving with life.
Driven by the deep currents of the Yucatan Channel, the nutrient rich waters support a high biodiversity of marine life. With these upwellings comes huge blooms of plankton that attract a range of species from small molluscs to the larger animals such as sea turtles, birds and marine mammals.
This feeding frenzy also attracts the world’s largest fish, the whale shark and of course the curious ocean giants, the manta ray. Both deceptively large animals are filter feeders and come to the area annually to feast upon the plankton buffet.
The Manta Caribbean Project aims to identify and conduct research on the poorly understood populations of mobulids in the Mexican Caribbean.
WHY ITS IMPORTANT
Founder and Director
Karen Fuentes
Project Managers:
Annie Murray
Kanina Harty
Marine Debris Project
Brittany Champey
Designer and Social Media
Alyssa Gunn
Underwater photographer
Valentina Cucchiara
PROJECT START DATE
The objective of this project is to conduct research on and describe the local manta ray species, to promote awareness and education in the local communities through educational programs, and to create information that can be used to develop sustainable models for the conservation of this species.
Every year through May to November, an incredible spectacle occurs in the waters of the Mexican Caribbean. Hundreds of whale sharks aggregate around the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula as part of their annual migration to feed on the plankton rich waters. This by itself an incredible sight, these aggregations are often joined by numbers of graceful manta rays who equally delight in the feed.
May 2013
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
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Determine and identify populations of manta rays in the Mexican Caribbean: M. cf. birostris.
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Record sightings of individuals of mobulids and create a database, within and around the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve.
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Identify potential threats to existing populations of manta rays in the Mexican Caribbean.
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Improve local and national legislation for the conservation of all mobulid species.
OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
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DOWNLOADS
2019 Project
Brochure
2018 Marine Debris Report
2017 Marine Debris Report
EDUCATION
GENERATING CHANGE
During the whole year we organize and participate in educational activities like environment festivals, workshops, conferences to all public, tour operators and school talks to encourage conservation through education with the local communities in Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox and other areas in Quintana Roo State.
We believe that without education there is no transition towards conservation, that s why we work to raise awareness in the community about the challenges we have as a society in order to diminish the impacts in natural resources and the commitment we have to act now for the good of future generations.
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2019 Microplastics
Report
