February 2021

Tell us about your first manta ray encounter.

I will always remember seeing my first Maldivian manta, on my first day out on the Maldivian Manta Ray Project research boat during my university placement. I remember thinking when I left England: ‘if I see one manta, I’ll be happy.’ We were waiting at a cleaning station and suddenly one showed up! I got an ID photo which I thought was surely too bad to ID... but no, the team taught me to edit and match it, and my first manta was already in the database and named ‘Sassy’! I’ve seen Sassy many times over the past few years in Raa and Baa Atoll, and always smile when I do and remember my brief and incredibly exciting first encounter with her.

How did you come to be involved with the Maldivian Manta Ray Project and the Manta Trust?

I started working with the Maldivian Manta Ray Project for my University of York summer placement in 2017, where I helped to develop the project’s marine education programme and conducted research to analyse the effectiveness of the programme. I fell in love with the Maldives, mantas and with working with the local communities, and returned the next year to start a full-time position running the education initiatives. After a couple of unforgettable years working with schools in the Maldives, I am excited to have returned to the UK to develop the Manta Trust’s education initiatives. I’m focusing on increasing our work with UK schools and communities, as well as designing ocean education teaching packs that can be used by teachers all over the World.

What legacy would you like to leave in your field of research/conservation?

During my time working with communities in the Maldives, I discovered that many girls and women do not learn to swim or snorkel across the small island state (or more aptly ‘large ocean state’). We strived to start changing this by running learn-to-swim and snorkel lessons with schools and especially with female students, as well as taking as many students as we could to swim with the manta rays their country is so famous for, most for the first time. It’s amazing to witness someone’s reaction when they first see the world under the sea. I’m incredibly passionate about empowering women and girls with the skills they need to access their beautiful ocean environments. I believe getting more girls in the ocean will not only improve confidence, wellbeing and safety, but also build communities that are passionate about conservation in the long run. My future research and projects will focus on encouraging and facilitating this ocean engagement in the UK, the Maldives and beyond.

I'm passionate about engaging girls with the ocean.jpg

I'm passionate about engaging girls with the ocean_F Barraud 2.jpg

I'm passionate about engaging girls with the ocean_F Barraud.jpg

I'm passionate about engaging girls with the ocean_Yaniu Mohamed.jpg

Maldivian students swim with manta rays for the first time_Kaitlyn Zerr 1.jpg

Maldivian students swim with manta rays for the first time_Kaitlyn Zerr 2.jpg

The MMRP marine education programme students explore the mangroves_F Barraud.jpg

The MMRP marine education programme students learn about research methods at a mock shark research conference.jpg

What is the most challenging part of your work?

The most challenging part of my work is knowing that millions of people around the world have never had the opportunity to fall in love with the ocean as I have. Education is a key tool for improving conservation of our precious and fragile environment. I want everyone to have visited the beach or swam in the ocean, and to feel inspired by the awe and wonder it instils. One way to begin to overcome this challenge is creating resources teachers can use to engage themselves and their students with the ocean, as well as developing experiential marine education programmes around the world. This is a challenge I’m happy to take on!

What is the most surprising thing you have learnt about manta/devil rays?

The most surprising thing I have learnt is how different every single encounter with manta or devil rays can be. I have had hundreds of experiences with manta rays in the Maldives, often with the same individuals at the same sites, but every time it is different, and every time it is amazing. Some are curious – like the pups who will flip on their back and swim around you to investigate you, or Mr Spotty, who always comes incredibly close when he sees us – some are shy, and some are bolshy, constantly somersault feeding right underneath you. I will never get bored of swimming with manta rays.

Mr Spotty swooping by to say hello. Image credit: Flossy Barraud

If you could ask people to do one thing to help - what would it be?

Image credit: Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve

Take someone you know to the seaside or watch a film about the ocean with them. David Attenborough’s ‘A Perfect Planet’ is a good one. Alternatively, get them to read one of the books in our book club. The more we can inspire people to fall in love with the ocean, just like we all have, and to understand how connected we each are to it, the better we can protect it and all its quirky and curious inhabitants, including manta and devil rays.