Giant Manta Ray, World’s Largest Ray Species, Spotted Feeding Just Offshore at Jones Beach State Park

WANTAGH, NY – A giant manta ray was recently spotted feeding just offshore at Jones Beach State Park, offering beachgoers a rare glimpse of the world’s largest species of ray in Long Island waters.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shared video of the encounter on August 17, with footage credited to New York State Parks. The agency identified the animal as an oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) and said it was feeding close to shore.

While manta rays are often associated with warmer tropical waters, the DEC noted that oceanic mantas inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate seas and can occasionally be seen in New York waters during the summer.

Unlike predatory sharks, manta rays are filter feeders. They move through the water consuming large quantities of zooplankton, sometimes following concentrations of food into relatively shallow coastal areas.

The species is remarkable for its size. According to NOAA Fisheries, giant manta rays can reach a wingspan of approximately 26 feet and weigh more than 5,000 pounds, although there has been no indication that the individual seen at Jones Beach was measured. The description of the animal as the world’s largest ray refers to the species rather than this particular manta.

Giant manta rays are also federally protected. NOAA lists the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, with threats including commercial fishing and bycatch, entanglement and vessel strikes. Their relatively slow reproductive rate makes populations particularly vulnerable to losses.

The Jones Beach sighting quickly attracted attention online, including among Long Islanders on Reddit, where video and reports of the enormous visitor were shared. The encounter provides another example of the diversity of marine wildlife that can appear along Long Island’s Atlantic shoreline during the warmer months.

Key Facts & Details

Although giant manta rays aren’t everyday visitors to the shoreline, Long Island sits alongside a remarkably active stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. From whales and dolphins to sharks, sea turtles and, occasionally, enormous manta rays, the waters surrounding the Island can produce some surprising wildlife encounters.