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Dr. Asia Haines fondly calls manta rays "the gateway drug to marine conservation." Have you ever wanted to know why manta rays aggregate in large numbers in places like the Maldives? Why they are so big? What they feed on? And did you know there’s a pink manta ray?!

This week's dive into the marine world interviews Dr. Asia Haines for a peek into the lives of the manta rays along the east coast of Australia. Studying these charismatic megafauna for over a decade, Asia has focused her research on their spatial ecology and movement patterns. She is a research fellow for Project Manta, based out of the University of the Sunshine Coast, as well as for Leaf to Reef - a research group focused on the biodiversity of Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef. The island I use to work on is known as "the home of the manta ray." Her research contributions are critical to the Important Shark and Ray Area project for the International Union of Conservation's (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group.

Get in touch with Dr. Asia Haines below:
Research profile
Project Manta
Upload your manta ray pictures (Australia only)
Leaf to Reef

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6:40 - Who is Leaf to Reef and why are they studying Lady Elliot Island? 

9:10 - The truth about the pink manta ray

11:30 - The evolution of manta rays

 > Dr. Misty Page-Tran article on filter feeding of manta rays

18:00 - Some of manta rays biggest threats

28:00 - Did a manta ray kill Steve Irwin?

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