Overview
Adult giant manta rays face minimal risk from natural enemies due to their massive physical proportions. However, newborn manta rays, known as pups, lack this protective size advantage and remain close to coastal waters to avoid high-risk open-ocean environments.
Findings
Fully grown giant manta rays can reach lengths of up to nine meters (30 feet), disk widths of seven meters (23 feet), and weights of up to 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds). They reach adulthood between eight and 10 years of age, at which point their sheer size deters almost all natural predators.
By contrast, manta ray pups are vulnerable to large marine carnivores inhabiting the open ocean. Notable predators include orcas and multiple species of sharks. To mitigate this vulnerability, juvenile rays shelter in nearshore coastal areas prior to venturing into open marine waters.