However, there have been some instances where Manta rays as old as almost 50 years old have fallen pregnant, so it’s still up for debate as to when they stop being fertile. The Manta ray’s fertility age is still unknown, but it is thought to be between the age of 10 – 15 when the rays reach sexual maturity. Some male Manta rays have even been known to pursue already pregnant females, so it can become tricky to identify who the father of some Manta ray pups are, and often relies on a DNA test to definitively know for sure. The “last Manta standing” is usually the one that will inseminate the female, but it’s now known that a single male Manta can still impregnate females even after the train has ended. These trains can last for weeks on end, but as courtship starts to progress, many male Manta rays will abandon the train. Manta trains can be as large as twenty male Manta rays ranging from both young and old following one female. This is because one female Manta tends to swim at the front, whilst followed by several male Manta rays. The starting point of the Manta ray reproduction process is called the “Manta-train”. Most Manta rays typically have a life expectancy of around 40 – 50 years old, with females not reaching sexual maturity until they are between 10 – 15 years old. Much of the Manta ray reproduction process is still very much a mystery, but we do know that they have a very slow reproduction rate.

Seconds after they are born, they find their bearings and their wings unfold and they spring into life ready to take on life and its many challenges. When born, the pups are rolled up tight like a burrito, with their wings wrapped around their bodies so they can be born. This gives the appearance that they are flying through the water, instead of swimming.

The female hoses her eggs for around 1 year, then the mothers swim to shallow waters and give birth to their young, usually under the cover of nightfall.ĭue to Manta rays being cartilage and not bone, they are incredibly flexible. When ready, they give live birth to their young which can be as large as 1 – 2 meters long and weigh as much as 40kg. Unlike many fish species that lay eggs and are externally fertilized, Manta rays actually don’t lay eggs and are internally fertilized. 5 Final Thoughts How Do Manta Rays Give Birth?

Mother and baby manta ray