Hanifaru Bay

planet earth

Hanifaru Bay

IT TAKES A LOT OF MANTAS TO START A CYCLONE

Text and photos Klaudyna Brzostowska

Swimming with mantas is one of the most memorable moments of our underwater adventures. Much has been written about what a unique experience it is to spend time with dancing mantas. The truth is that in order to understand exactly what is being talked about, you have to experience an underwater encounter with manta rays yourself. Thanks to the efforts of several organisations, there is one place on Earth where you can experience an encounter with a shoal of mantas in an environmentally sustainable way. The chances in the right season are high. We are talking about Hanifaru Bay belonging to Baa Atoll in the Maldives.

It takes many mantas to start a cyclone. Mantas are filter feeders, which means they swim around trying to take in as much plankton as possible. They catch the tiny plankton in their filtering mouths while simultaneously expelling the seawater through their gills. Mantas use different feeding techniques depending on the type, where they feed and whether they feed individually or in a group. When individual mantas feed on plankton, they engage in straight feeding, surface feeding, flip feeding (or also called barrel rolling), side feeding and bottom feeding. On the other hand, when they group up, the techniques they use are called chain feeding and cyclone feeding. And it is the latter technique that results in the manta cyclone – an impressive phenomenon that happens seasonally in Hanifaru Bay.

Cyclone feeding starts small – often with single mantas forming a line during chain feeding. The cyclone begins as more mantas join in and form a loop. Up to 150 feeding mantas may join together to form a large, tight circle around a dense group of plankton. This looks like an underwater cyclone in which the mantas circle together in a counterclockwise direction for about 60 minutes. Cyclone feeding enables the mantas to take in a lot of food with little effort and little energy. By using body power, the reef manta rays feed together, pulling in plankton.

Hanifaru Bay is located on the south-eastern edge of Baa Atoll, in the northern Maldives. The area covers 1,2 km2 – the size of a football field. Nowhere else in the world will you find such sizable gatherings of manta rays in one place ready to feed. Whale sharks are also unusually frequent visitors to the bay, joining the buffet. Since 2012, Baa Atoll has been entered on a UNESCO List and recognised for its extraordinary biodiversity and high concentration of many coral species. The best time to visit the bay is between May and November. Diving is forbidden, only swimming and snorkelling is allowed. The use of cameras without lights or flashes is also permitted. Excursions to the bay are organised and it is necessary to join a group led by certified guides. Without a doubt – this is an experience that will be remembered for a long time.

For manta lovers – I recommend visiting the Manta Trust. On their website you can find a lot of interesting content about mantas precisely, educational material and interesting facts. Also, you can upload a photo of the mantas you met to their database – photo ID allows to monitor these animals and thus protect them. In addition, you can adopt a manta ray – which might turn out to be a nice gift for a beloved buddy.

PERFECTDIVER No. 4(22)/2022 11