Video Contest – August 2022

Description: Circle manta is RS0270B and the 268th manta in the database MantaTrust. This is a new sighting in the database and is a juvenile female. This is indeed a rare sighting - only about 2-2.5% of the Red Sea manta population are estimated to be black melanistic morphs. Based on the sightings reports I get, juvenile manta rays start showing up around Ras Umm Sid/Tower in mid-April each year. We swim together from the Temple dive site to Ras Um Sid, Sharm el sheik, Egypt. My first sea devil will forever remain in my memory and I hope to meet again.