Giant manta ray
Mobula birostris
In the waterEndangered
The giant manta ray is the largest ray in the world and feeds on plankton along Galápagos upwellings. Its wingspan can exceed 6 meters, and it is seen at sites such as Cabo Marshall off Isabela. The IUCN lists the species as endangered.
Best time to see it
JanFebMarAprMayDec
Sightings are most reliable in the warm season, roughly December to May and especially February to May, when warmer, clearer water settles in; Cabo Marshall off Isabela and the northern islands are noted spots. This warm-season pattern is the opposite of the cool-season whale shark and hammerhead peak.