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<\/p>\nIn recent weeks, an unusually large number of divers, swimmers and surfers have encountered some of the largest marine animals known to frequent the Gulf of Eilat. At least four giant manta rays and several whale sharks have been documented in the area this month, according to Sharks in Israel, a nonprofit that has been collecting sightings of sharks and rays in Israel for over a decade.<\/p>\n
Adding to the excitement, a mobula ray\u2014similar to a manta but of a different species\u2014was recorded in the gulf for only the second time. <\/p>\n
“The fishermen thought it was just another manta visiting the bay,\u201d said Dr. Adi Barash, CEO of the nonprofit and a postdoctoral researcher at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. \u201cBut after a closer look, it turned out to be a mobula, a close relative of the manta. While a few species of mobulas are known to live in the Red Sea, they are extremely rare here.\u201d his marks just the second time a mobula has been documented in the region.<\/p>\n
Giant manta ray in the Gulf of Eilat<\/p>\n
(Video: Tal Amsalem, Association for the Promotion of Sport Fishing and Conservation of the Gulf of Eilat)<\/p>\n
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Barash suggested that the sightings may be linked to the deteriorating condition of the Red Sea. \u201cYou also need a lot of luck\u2014and a camera,\u201d she noted. \u201cThis is a narrow and elongated sea, surrounded by a relatively dense population. There\u2019s heavy fishing, tourism and development. The surrounding countries include some with limited infrastructure, minimal scientific research, little conservation, complex regional politics, and few collaborative projects. Saudi Arabia, for example, has more research and conservation efforts. Add to that significant ship traffic en route to the Suez Canal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meron Segev, a photographer with the Sharks in Israel nonprofit, shared his recent encounter with a giant oceanic manta ray earlier this month. \u201cI went out for an early swim and, to my surprise, came across a very large manta. As I tried to photograph it, it turned its white belly toward me, which dazzled me and made it hard to get a good shot. It wasn\u2019t easy. But it was an amazing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n 3 View gallery <\/p>\n A giant manta ray in the Gulf of Eilat<\/p>\n (Photo: Meron Segev, Sharks Association in Israel)<\/p>\n Manta rays, typically spotted only a few times a year in Israel, have already crossed the 10-sightings mark in just the past two months, and they continue to appear. <\/p>\n \u201cThe exciting part, for me, is the ability to identify them and learn about their behavior,\u201d said Barash. \u201cWe identify individual mantas by the black markings on the white underside of their bodies. The pattern of spots is unique to each manta, which allows us to track their movement. But mantas are hard to find in the sea\u2014and even harder to photograph from below. That\u2019s why citizen science is so crucial to studying these large animals.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\u05de\u05e0\u05d8\u05ea](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rJzJPzf98ll_58_15_1208_680_0_x-large.jpg\" "\\"A")
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