About
The Caribbean Islands Manta Conservation Program was established in 2021. As an affiliate project of the Manta Trust, a UK charity, this project seeks to uncover vital information about manta and devil rays in the Caribbean.
photo by Alex Mustard
Project Overview
The Caribbean Sea remains one of the world's largest seas with over 700 islands spreading an area of more than one million square miles. Although several manta ray aggregation sites have been identified throughout the region (Florida, Texas, Gulf of Mexico, Mexican Caribbean, and Brazil), our knowledge of these gentle giants remains slim.
Citizen science jumpstarted a multitude of manta and devil ray sightings. Divers and snorkelers have helped confirm the presence of 5-6 species of manta and devil ray in the Caribbean, including Mobula birostris (oceanic manta rays), Mobula c.f. birostris (putative, undescribed species of manta ray), Mobula tarapacana (Sicklefin Devil Ray), Mobula thurstoni (Bentfin Devil Ray), Mobula hypostoma (West Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray) and Mobula mobular (Spinetail Devil Ray).
Current findings demonstrate unpredictable sightings of manta and devil rays. However, with more research, collaboration, and community outreach, data may uncover an environmental factor driving the movement of these animals and how movement overlaps with existing threats.
Photo by Turtle and Ray Productions - Curacao
Meet The Project Leader, Nicole Pelletier
Photo by Heather West
Now living in the Caribbean for two and a half years, Nicole is originally from Rhode Island. She grew up with a passion for marine biology and earned two degrees, one from the University of Rhode Island and one from Ohio University. After completing her studies, Nicole traveled and spent time in the scuba diving industry while working with conservation organizations in the Philippines, Mexico and the US Virgin Islands. In 2016, she accepted a marine biology position in the Maldives.
After a year in the Maldives, Nicole moved to pursue a master’s degree in Marine Environmental Management at the University of York (UK). She wrote her dissertation on the behaviour and social interactions of reef manta rays by analysing videos recorded by the Manta Trust team using Crittercams. After graduating from York, Nicole joined the MMRP team as Project Manager for Laamu Atoll, where she led research projects, guest activities and community education initiatives. She returned to the US in 2020 and began analysing Caribbean citizen science that had been submitted to the Manta Trust.
In 2021, she founded the Caribbean Islands Manta Conservation Program. The program is based in Bonaire but holistically covers the entire Caribbean islands region. With over 1,300 recorded sightings and a confirmed presence of mobulid species around more than 20 islands nations, Nicole is excited to uncover the mysteries of the Caribbean manta rays!
Read Publications Nicole Contributed To
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