MANTA CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

As we head into our third year of partnership with Manta Trust and the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme in supporting the Rahveshi Programme, we asked the team to share the key activities and achievements of 2024. The year has certainly been another impactful one, with Manta Trust and the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme continuing their vital work in marine conservation, community engagement, and manta ray research across the Maldives and we are proud to be able to support. In February 2024, we had the privilege of spending time with the team in Makunudhoo, gaining firsthand insight into their ongoing efforts. Looking ahead, we are excited to reconnect with the Makunudhoo project in 2025 and see how the programme continues to evolve.

The RahVeshi Programme, a key joint initiative of the Manta Trust and the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme, has continued to make significant strides in 2024 across its two currently active projects in the Maldives: Makunudhoo Atoll and Fuvahmulah Atoll. These efforts focused on education, research, and local collaboration, strengthening conservation initiatives and scientific knowledge of manta ray populations in the Maldives.

Let’s take a look at the highlights the key activities and achievements of the programme in 2024.

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITATIVES

In 2024, engagement with the local community continued to be a top priority of the Programme. We expanded our educational initiatives, reaching a total of 224 students across both Makunudhoo and Fuvahmulah, and we had almost 1,000 interactions with community members in both atolls through events, presentations and walkarounds.

In Makunudhoo, we expanded the Moodhu Madharusaa programme, with 17 students completing the full course and 77 students participating in an introductory module. Additionally, 24 teachers were trained in marine conservation education, enhancing their capacity to deliver impactful lessons. In Fuvahmulah, the Moodhu Vaguthu short-format educational course was introduced to accommodate the Ramadan period, reaching 130 students. The marine programmes combined theoretical lessons on marine ecosystems and conservation, with interactive activities, including snorkelling field trips that allowed students to explore coral reefs for the first time. Feedback from
students, parents, and teachers highlighted increased awareness of conservation issues, underscoring the programme’s effectiveness.

Community engagement also grew significantly across both atolls. In Makunudhoo, residents continued to report manta ray sightings to the research team, providing valuable data for conservation efforts. The team organised informal educational days, workshops, and presentations, engaging 380 community members, including 176 children in kids special events.

These events also provided economic opportunities for local vendors, fostering a sense of community ownership. The Makunudhoo community’s enthusiasm and commitment to manta ray conservation continue to grow, with many residents eager to report manta sightings and consult the team on local conservation challenges. This strong community involvement underscores the long-term impact and sustainability of the programme.

In Fuvahmulah, with the occasion of documenting the 1,000th oceanic manta ray in the Maldives, we celebrated with a community event organised in collaboration with Fuvahmulah City Counciland Baaba Gaadiya, featuring workshops, live music, and a prize raffle, attracting 200+ attendees and covered by the local media.

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

The RahVeshi Programme continued to create meaningful employment and training opportunities for local communities in 2024. Six staff positions in the RahVeshi Programme were filled by Maldivians and we recruited three Maldivian interns to support the seasonal projects. Feedback from personnel was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing a desire to continue their involvement in future seasons.

In response to growing interest from students and parents in Makunudhoo Atoll, we introduced a “Day in the Life of a Manta Ray Researcher”, with 6 days in total offering 31 community members first-hand experience in manta ray research. Participants learned to spot manta rays, capture identification photographs, and record environmental data, gaining valuable field research skills.

In addition to the regular training in surveys, data collection, and manta ecology, this year personnel in Fuvahmulah were trained in the collection, preservation, and processing of tissue samples for genetic and stable isotope analysis. Daniel Fernando, co-founder of Blue Resources Trust, delivered a presentation on Sri Lanka’s shark and ray fisheries and legislative conservation.

RESEARCH & FINDINGS

The RahVeshi Programme made significant progress in manta ray research in 2024, with key findings from both atolls contributing to a deeper understanding of manta ray populations and their conservation needs.

In Makunudhoo, the research team conducted 49 days of environmental and megafauna surveys, recording 2,676 reef manta ray sightings at 17 sites. Six key aggregation sites were identified, including five feeding areas and one cleaning station. Notably, 28 previously documented individuals were first sighted in Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, providing evidence of connectivitybetween Baa and Makunudhoo Atolls. This finding underscores the importance of protecting migration corridors through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The team also conducted 60 interviews with local fishers and community members to assess changes in manta and devil ray abundance and seasonality. This collaborative effort aims to bridge gaps in baseline data and foster community support for conservation.

In Fuvahmulah, we recorded 75 sightings of oceanic manta ray with 65 new individuals. The resighting rate remained low, suggesting a transient population. Of 15 females observed, only one showed mating scars and none were pregnant, consistent with previous years’ observations of a predominately adult population with low incidences of pregnancies. We also took exciting first steps on developing a genetics and stable isotope study in collaboration with researchers in Sri Lanka to start to understand potential connectivity between populations. With a growing tourism industry relying heavily on the oceanic manta rays as one of the main attractions, it is important to
develop our understanding of their movements so they can be effectively protected.

The RahVeshi Programme has made significant progress in education, research, and community engagement in 2024. By fostering local participation and strengthening conservation efforts, we continue to build a sustainable future for manta rays and marine ecosystems in the Maldives. Our work underscores the critical need to
consolidate and expand these initiatives to ensure long-term conservation impact.

Do you want to learn more about Manta Rays and the work of Maldives Manta Conservation Programme? Join us on our Manta Conservation Cruises, find out more details here.

Images courtesy of Jasmine Corbett.