Yasawa Annual Report 2022

5.5. Sighting Demographics
Figure 15 - Annual sighting demographics at the Manta Channel, Yasawa Isalnds, Fiji
During 2022 adult manta rays made up 60 % of the sightings (31 % adult females and 29 % adult
males) and juvenile 40 % of the sightings (21 % juvenile females and 19 % juvenile males)(Figure
15).
With sightings broken down by maturation status it can be seen that adult manta rays make up the
larger percentage of sightings between 2013-2022, however despite this there has been a roughly
20 % decrease in adult manta ray sightings between 2013-2022, with the increase in juvenile
sightings being specifically, juvenile female manta rays (Figure 15). This could be due to a natural
period of population fecundity leading to more juveniles utilising the site, however this also could
be a direct result of less adults using the site meaning juveniles have an enhanced foraging opportunity
in the absence of adult manta rays.
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