In 2003 and 2004, neither the research team nor the thousands of sport divers who visited the site saw any mantas. Where have they gone? And why, to this date, have they not returned? It is a mystery. This location hosted as many as ten mantas a day, some of whom would stay for four months or more. Individuals animals returned from year to year and now there are none.

We have cataloged four animals this year from a different location nearer La Paz, but none of the earlier 52 mantas have been re-sighted.

I would like to work with you to solicit the help of divers. I want them to know of the problem and to send photos of mantas they have seen. A sport diver from HB recently sent us a photo of a manta he saw in September of 1999 that I cataloged from the same sight in September of 2001. The ventral markings can easily be seen and even poorly lit photos can be helpful using Photoshop to adjust the contrast.

While we try to solve the mystery of the disappearance of these animals we have continued cataloging animals from another location and will place a satellite tag on one of them in the next month. Hopefully, we will learn more about their long-term movements as well as where they go at night.

I work with a California based non-profit that focuses on shark and ray conservation. If you want to check out the web site, you can find it at www.iemanya.org.

Paul Ahuja
mantamexico@hotmail.com

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