During the months of May to August, many of the giant manta rays migrate here, Puerto Lopez in the Machalilla National Park, by Isla de la Plata. While we still don't know the exact reason as to why so many giant manta rays gather here, we do know that many mantas mate and receive cleanings in the area. This is important because it takes up to eleven months for the birth of one single manta and so many are killed and injured yearly that the population is rapidly dwindling. Places like Machalilla National Park are safe zones for these animals to breed. Furthermore, due to this area's unique marine biodiversity, mantas come here for specific species of fish to clean their bodies of bacteria and other microorganisms.
Fundación Megafauna Marina Del Ecuador (FMME) has been able to identify 2,000 giant manta rays. You may think this isn’t much, but it’s almost unbelievable. In the past, the maximum number of individual giant manta rays identified was 800 in Mexico. Most places see up to a maximum of 200-400 manta rays. So statistics like this show how incredible Ecuador is.
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