Reef Manta Ray
Mobula alfredi
The reef manta ray or hāhālua (Mobula alfredi) is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae, one of the largest rays in the world. Among generally recognized species, it is the third-largest species of ray, surpassed by the Giant oceanic manta ray and the Atlantic manta ray. The species was described in 1868 by Gerard Krefft, the director of the Australian Museum. He named it M. alfredi in honor of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the first member of the British royal family to visit Australia. It was originally described as part of the genus Manta but in 2017 was changed, along with the rest of the mantas, to be included as part of the genus Mobula. Reef manta rays are typically 3 to 3.5 m (9.8 to 11.5 ft) in disc width, with a maximum size of about 5.5 m (18 ft). Wikipedia →
50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Reef Manta Ray sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 63 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
🕐 When They’re Spotted
Sightings of Reef Manta Ray are recorded here, but fewer than 5 of them carry a time of day in GBIF — sighting probability uses whole days, so it is unaffected. The hourly pattern needs timestamps we don't have yet.
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Reef Manta Ray in Ningaloo Marine Park?
About 57% of wildlife watchers report a Reef Manta Ray sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 63 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Reef Manta Ray in Ningaloo Marine Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Reef Manta Ray in Ningaloo Marine Park in our monthly data.