MANTA
CONSERVATION

Snorkelling or diving with a manta ray is an unforgettable experience - protecting their habitat and survival is a memory which lasts with you forever.

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Kokomo Manta Conservation Project

Extending for over 100km (62 miles), the Great Astrolabe Reef is brimming with an enormous variety of sea life, including the extraordinary reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi). These gentle giants have been threatened globally, by climate change and the gill plate trade industry.

Manta Project Fiji

To help raise awareness and protect the Fijian manta population, we launched the Kokomo Manta Conservation Project, encompassing a Manta Identification Work, an Adopt a Manta Initiative, and Sustainable Manta Interactions in collaboration with the Manta Project Fiji.

Last season, 298 manta sightings were recorded, offering a glimpse into a population of more than 100 individual rays. Of these, 90 were identified and added to the manta identification database. Repeated encounters throughout the year underscore a strong sense of site fidelity, with several mantas returning time and again to clean, rest, and socialise. While not every day will bring with it a sighting, the quieter days are just as valuable. They help reveal patterns showing when mantas move, when they pause, and how they respond to a changing ocean. With each passing season, the data grows stronger, and so does our ability to better understand and protect these remarkable animals.

PROJECT

THE MANTA TRUST

In collaboration with the Manta Trust and other Fijian resorts, Kokomo supports ongoing research to estimate manta ray populations and track their movements across the Fiji archipelago. This work provides crucial baseline data for long-term conservation. The project is led by marine biologist and underwater photographer Luke Gordon, Project Leader of The Manta Project Fiji since 2018. With experience from the Maldives, Ecuador, and Seychelles, Luke brings global expertise to the study and protection of manta rays in Fiji. Together, our teams are dedicated to safeguarding these gentle giants and ensuring their future in the South Pacific.

Kokomo PR Activites Marine Mantarays EH (1)

Our Initiatives

Protecting and researching Fiji’s manta rays through tagging, identification, and guest participation initiatives.

Manta identification

Since 2017, Kokomo has partnered with The Manta Project Fiji to research and protect manta rays, identifying over 150 individuals. Guests can join this conservation effort by snorkelling with mantas and capturing photos that aid ongoing research.

Adopt a Manta

In partnership with The Manta Project Fiji, Kokomo’s “Adopt a Manta” program invites guests to support manta ray research, receive updates on their manta’s journey, and contribute to global conservation efforts.

Manta Facts

Sustainable Interactions

Snorkelling or diving with manta rays is a highlight at Kokomo, especially between June and September. In partnership with The Manta Trust, we follow strict in-water guidelines to protect mantas and ensure safe, unforgettable guest encounters.

Cyclone Feeding

Cyclone feeding is a group foraging behaviour of Manta rays whereby the Mantas move in a vortex like pattern as it is the most efficient way to eat such a density of plankton. This is a very rare foraging activity and has only been observed around Kokomo in Fiji. Cyclone feeding can reach up to hundreds in other parts of the world.