Manta rays are intelligent, long-lived cartilaginous fish facing threats from targeted fishing, bycatch, and tourism disturbance. Their welfare needs are increasingly recognised.
Manta rays are sentient fish with strong evidence of social complexity, curiosity, and potentially self-awareness (passing mirror self-recognition tests in some studies). Entanglement in fishing gear - even when released alive - causes stress, injury, and sometimes death. Tourist encounters where mantas are touched, chased, or surrounded by multiple divers cause measurable stress responses. Given their large size and pelagic lifestyle, mantas are extremely difficult to rehabilitate if injured.