Gallery: Photos: A Sanctuary for Enormous, Majestic Manta Rays

  • Image may contain Animal Manta Ray Fish Sea Life Shark Bird Water and Outdoors
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    01

    Indonesia Manta Tourism

    Indonesia, recognizing that mantas are iconic marine creatures with incredible tourism potential value, just declared the world's biggest manta sanctuary at 2.3 million square miles.
  • Image may contain Animal Fish Manta Ray Sea Life and Bird
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    02

    2-ShawnHeinrichs-20131123-172220--B4V0807-Edit

    Reef manta rays form a feeding train in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
  • Image may contain Animal Fish Manta Ray Sea Life and Bird
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    03

    Indonesia Manta Tourism

    A tourist swims with manta rays near Manta Ridge, Raja Ampat.
  • Image may contain Human Person Transportation Vehicle Watercraft Vessel Clothing Apparel and Boat
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    04

    4-ShawnHeinrichs-20110701-205431-2011-07-01 at 20-54-31-2

    This oceanic manta ray battled for its life for an hour before being speared and dragged up to a hunting boat in Lamakera, Indonesia.
  • Image may contain Human Person Vehicle Transportation Watercraft Vessel Boat and Rowboat
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    05

    Indonesia Manta Fishery

    Dead oceanic manta ray strapped to the deck of a hunting boat in Lamakera, Indonesia.
  • Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Animal and Bird
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    06

    Indonesia Manta Fishery

    Young boy looks down sadly at a dead baby reef manta ray. With many local populations depleted, fishermen have begun targeting even baby manta rays.
  • Image may contain Human Person Urban Town Building City Clothing and Apparel
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    07

    Indonesia Manta Fishery

    Fisherman hoists the body of a baby manta ray.
  • Image may contain Human Person Shop Grocery Store Shelf Market and Supermarket
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    08

    Indonesia Manta Fishery

    A Singapore store owner offers a manta gill for sale.
  • Image may contain Animal Fish Manta Ray Sea Life Human Person and Bird
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    09

    Indonesia Manta Tourism

    Dive tourists in Nusa Penda, Bali watch in awe as a manta dances before them.
  • Image may contain Outdoors Nature Land Water Ocean Sea Shoreline Animal Sea Life Fish Manta Ray and Coast
    Shawn Heinrichs for WildAid & Conservation International
    10

    Indonesia Manta Tourism

    A baby manta ray swims in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
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