1
|
Germanov ES, Pierce SJ, Marshall AD, Hendrawan IG, Kefi A, Bejder L, Loneragan N. Residency, movement patterns, behavior and demographics of reef manta rays in Komodo National Park. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13302. [PMID: 35602898 PMCID: PMC9119296 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) is a globally threatened species and an iconic tourist attraction for visitors to Indonesia's Komodo National Park (NP). In 2013, manta ray fishing was banned in Komodo NP and its surroundings, preceding the nationwide manta ray protection in 2014. Over a decade ago, a previous acoustic telemetry study demonstrated that reef manta rays had high fidelity to sites within the park, while more recent photo-identification data indicated that some individuals move up to 450 km elsewhere. Characterization of manta ray demographics, behavior, and a focused assessment on site use of popular tourism locations within the park is vital to assist the Komodo NP Management Authority formulate appropriate manta ray conservation and management policies. Methods This study uses a long-term library (MantaMatcher.org) of photo-identification data collected by researchers and citizen scientists to investigate manta ray demographics and habitat use within the park at four sites frequented by tour operators: Cauldron, Karang Makassar, Mawan, and Manta Alley. Residency and movements of manta rays were investigated with maximum likelihood analyses and Markov movement models. Results A total of 1,085 individual manta rays were identified from photographs dating from 2013 to 2018. In general, individual manta rays displayed a higher affinity to specific sites than others. The highest re-sighting probabilities came from the remote southern site, Manta Alley. Karang Makassar and Mawan are only ~5 km apart; however, manta rays displayed distinct site affinities. Exchange of individuals between Manta Alley and the two central sites (~35.5 km apart) occurred, particularly seasonally. More manta rays were recorded traveling from the south to the central area than vice versa. Female manta rays were more mobile than males. Similar demographic groups used Karang Makassar, Mawan, and Manta Alley for foraging, cleaning, cruising, or courtship activities. Conversely, a higher proportion of immature manta rays used the northern site, Cauldron, where foraging was commonly observed. Fishing gear-related injuries were noted on 56 individuals (~5%), and predatory injuries were present on 32 individuals (~3%). Tourism within the park increased from 2014 to 2017, with 34% more dive boats per survey at Karang Makassar and Mawan. Discussion The Komodo NP contains several distinct critical habitats for manta rays that encompass all demographics and accommodate seasonal manta ray movements. While the present study has not examined population trends, it does provide foundational data for such work. Continued research into manta ray abundance, long-range movements, and identifying and protecting other critical aggregation areas within the region is integral to securing the species' recovery. We provide management recommendations to limit undue pressure on manta rays and their critical habitats from tourism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elitza S. Germanov
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America,Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Simon J. Pierce
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Andrea D. Marshall
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - I. Gede Hendrawan
- Faculty of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Universitas Udayana, Denpassar, Bali, Indonesia
| | - Ande Kefi
- Komodo National Park, Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia
| | - Lars Bejder
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
| | - Neil Loneragan
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Institute of Agriculture, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Albertson GR, Friedlaender AS, Steel DJ, Aguayo-lobo A, Bonatto SL, Caballero S, Constantine R, Cypriano-souza AL, Engel MH, Garrigue C, Flórez-gonzález L, Johnston DW, Nowacek DP, Olavarría C, Poole MM, Read AJ, Robbins J, Sremba AL, Baker CS. Temporal stability and mixed-stock analyses of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the nearshore waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biol 2018; 41:323-40. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2193-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
4
|
Gabriele CM, Neilson JL, Straley JM, Baker CS, Cedarleaf JA, Saracco JF. Natural history, population dynamics, and habitat use of humpback whales over 30 years on an Alaska feeding ground. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet L. Neilson
- Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve; P.O. Box 140 Gustavus Alaska 99826 USA
| | - Janice M. Straley
- University of Alaska Southeast; Sitka Campus, 1332 Seward Avenue Sitka Alaska 99835 USA
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute; Hatfield Marine Science Center; Oregon State University; 2030 SE Marine Science Drive Newport Oregon 97365 USA
| | - Jennifer A. Cedarleaf
- University of Alaska Southeast; Sitka Campus, 1332 Seward Avenue Sitka Alaska 99835 USA
| | - James F. Saracco
- The Institute for Bird Populations; P.O. Box 1346 Point Reyes Station California 94956 USA
| |
Collapse
|