Manta Rays
One of the greatest advantages of home ownership at CostaBaja Resort & Marina is not only owning your own piece of real estate in Mexico, with its 340-plus days of sunshine per year and proximity to La Paz, but having the Sea of Cortez with its abundance of marine life at your doorstep. Manta rays are some of the most beautiful creatures gliding in the waters and, with a width of up to 22 feet and reaching a weight of an astounding 1,200 pounds, manta rays are the largest in the ray family and one of the five largest species of fish in the world. The largest known manta ray was approximately 30 feet across and weighed an astonishing 3,000 pounds. Manta rays are difficult to track, however, so an even larger ray could coast past you any time!
Manta rays have a long and mythical history. Once thought to be associated with the devil, sailors told folk tales of mischievous rays that capsized boats or held men in their huge wings underwater until they drowned. Though the fins at the sides of their heads do resemble devil horns, manta rays are peaceful creatures. Very few will approach divers or snorkelers; if they do, it's out of curiosity and not aggression -- keeping proper distance when diving is the best way to avoid any accidents.
When it comes to mating rituals, a male, or several males, will rapidly chase after a female for up to half an hour. Once the female becomes tired of the chase, the male will nip at her pectoral fin allowing her to be moved to the surface so mating can begin. As many as 25 different male manta rays can pursue a single female. Because the gestation period can be as long as 13 months, mating must occur quickly and as often as possible.
Manta rays produce eggs that hatch live young inside the mother's oviduct and feed on milk until more than a year later when it is fully developed. Pups range in size from 3 to 4 feet wide and weigh around 25 pounds, however, pups double in size in their first year of life. Mothers give birth to a single pup in the shallow water where the young will stay for several years, until they reach sexual maturity and are ready to explore deeper waters.
Mantas, meaning ‘blanket' in Spanish, cover the floor of the sea like a sheet and drift through the waters searching for food. Watching manta rays swim in Mexico is an amazing sight: their bodies move in tiny ripples and waves thanks to the gentle flapping of their fin rays, usually referred to as wings. Feeding on small fish and marine vegetation in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, manta rays guide food by the gallons into their huge mouths by using the small fins at the sides of their head. Like dolphins and whales, manta rays will leap out of the water -- sometimes a full 6 feet -- and crash down to the surface, causing a massive splash, much to the delight of boaters and divers lucky enough to catch this magnificent sight.
Manta rays are highly intelligent creatures with a brain-to-body ratio similar to that of sharks. When examined closely, the manta rays' brain reveals three areas that are predominant, representing hearing, coordination and tactile senses. Although there is no doubt they are clever creatures, these are also the three areas of the brain used specifically for finding and eating food.
These legendary sea creatures are content simply floating and swimming alone. Their eyes, either blue or green, match the turquoise hue of Mexico's Sea of Cortez. These peaceful creatures may be alarmingly large in size, but their serene disposition and inclination to spend time alone make sighting a manta ray a truly amazing experience.