This week we talk about Manta ray nursery habitat off the coast of Florida with expert Jessica Pate! We break down her article, "Urban Manta rays: potential manta ray nursery habitat along a highly developed Florida coastline" (Pate & Marshall 2020). We discuss what defines an area as nursery habitat, how habitat off the Florida coast fits these criteria for Manta rays, and why this is so important for Manta ray conservation. Get ready to jump into the world of Manta rays!
Satellite track a Manta ray: https://www.trackturtles.com/leo/
You can follow Jessica on Instagram @floridamantagirl, and learn more about the conservation work let by the Marine Megafauna Foundation at https://marinemegafauna.org/
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