Kona's Most Famous Manta Rays — Individual Resident Profiles

The Kona Coast is home to more than 450 individually identified reef manta rays — the largest documented resident population in the Hawaiian Islands. Researchers at Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation catalog each ray using the unique spot patterns on their undersides, which function like fingerprints. Many of these rays have been given names and carry documented histories spanning decades. Sea Paradise crew members recognize dozens of individuals on sight, and guests on the manta ray night snorkel tours frequently encounter the named residents below.

The Kona Coast is home to more than 450 individually identified reef manta rays — the largest documented resident population in the Hawaiian Islands. Researchers at Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation catalog each manta ray using the unique spot patterns on their undersides, which function like fingerprints. Many of these rays have been given names and carry documented histories spanning decades. Each night a select few manta rays join Sea Paradise for an intimate memorable experience. The crew members identify manta rays on sight. Guests on the manta ray night snorkel tours frequently encounter the named residents below.

Manta Profiles

Lefty — The Original (First manta ever identified in Kona, 1979)

First identified: 1979 | Identification: Damaged left cephalic fin | Sex: Female

Lefty holds a singular distinction: she was the first manta ray ever identified in Kona. Her recognition in 1979 predates Sea Paradise’s founding in 1985, and predates the manta ray viewing industry on the Kona Coast by several years. She is immediately identifiable by a permanently damaged left cephalic fin — the wing-like lobe mantas use to funnel plankton into their mouths. Lefty is the living anchor of this entire tradition. If she is present during your tour, you are watching over four decades of history.

Big Bertha — The Legend

First documented: 1991 | Wingspan: 14–16 feet | Sex: Female | Notable: Multiple documented pregnancies

Big Bertha is one of the most recognized manta rays in the world. First documented at Manta Village in 1991, she has been a fixture in the resident population for over 30 years. Her wingspan — estimated between 14 and 16 feet — places her among the largest reef manta rays ever measured. She has been observed through multiple pregnancies over the decades, meaning there are manta rays swimming these waters today that are her direct descendants. When Big Bertha appears, everything else goes quiet.

Koie Ray — The Bold One

First identified: 2001 | Sex: Female | Known behavior: Approaches snorkelers closely

Koie Ray was identified in 2001 and has remained one of the most reliably present individuals at Manta Village for over two decades. Her defining characteristic is behavioral: she swims directly toward snorkelers, approaching at close range in a way that most mantas do not. Manta rays are filter feeders and pose absolutely no danger to guests — but Koie Ray’s willingness to approach creates encounters of remarkable intimacy. Guests who meet her face-to-face at the float often describe it as the single most vivid moment of their trip.

Jolene Ray — The Regular

Size: Approximately 5 feet wide | Sex: Female | Known as: The smallest regular performer

Jolene Ray is sometimes described as the ‘toddler’ of the Manta Village regulars — at roughly 5 feet wide, she is significantly smaller than residents like Big Bertha. What she lacks in size she makes up in consistency. She is a dependable presence at the nightly feeding sessions, reliable enough that crew members use her as a reference point when briefing guests about what to look for.

Obama Ray — The Famous Female

Sex: Female | Originally named: Barack Obama | Renamed: Michelle Obama (also called Obama Ray)

Obama Ray’s story is as much about how manta identification works as it is about the individual. When first spotted and documented, researchers believed the ray was male and named it Barack Obama. Subsequent observation and documentation confirmed the individual was female — a common revision as identification science advances. The name was updated to Michelle Obama, though most guides and guests refer to her simply as Obama Ray. She is a regular at the site and a reminder that the catalog is a living, evolving document.

Quarantina — The Pandemic Ray

First identified: 2020 | Season: COVID-19 lockdowns | Sex: Unknown

Quarantina was first documented during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, at a time when nearly all tour boat activity had ceased on the Kona Coast. Her first observed appearance came during a period of unusual ocean quiet — which may reflect what happens to the resident manta population when human presence and boat traffic temporarily diminish. She is a regular at the site now and one of the newest named members of the resident population. Her name is a lasting record of an extraordinary moment in the site’s history.

Tyger Ray

Wingspan: 10–11 feet | Sex: Female

Tyger Ray is one of the larger females in the resident population, with an estimated wingspan of 10 to 11 feet. She is a recognizable regular at Manta Village and has been cataloged by researchers at Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation.

Black Diamond Ray

Sex: Male | Known for: Resilience — identified despite multiple injuries

Black Diamond Ray is notable among the named males in the population for his resilience. He has been documented with significant injuries over the course of his cataloged history — marks from encounters with fishing line or boat strikes that are, unfortunately, not uncommon for large marine animals that share the ocean with human activity. His continued regular presence is testament to the manta ray’s recovery capacity.

Calamity Jane

Sex: Female | Frequently observed by: Local divers and tour crews

Calamity Jane is a well-known female among Kona’s dive and tour community. She has been a regular at Manta Village for years and is considered one of the more reliably appearing individuals among the senior resident population.

You Could Name a Manta Ray

Every manta ray on the Kona Coast carries a unique pattern of spots on its underside — no two are the same. If you photograph a manta ray during your Sea Paradise tour and cannot identify it in the existing catalog, you can submit the image to the Manta Ray Tracker database maintained by Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii. If researchers confirm it is a new individual — one that has never been cataloged before — you may be given the opportunity to name it.

The catalog grows with every season, and guests have contributed to it. Bring an underwater camera or GoPro (rentals available onboard) and you are participating in an ongoing citizen science effort that extends the knowledge base for the entire population.

Manta Ray FAQ

How many manta rays live in Kona?

The Kona Coast hosts a resident population of over 450 individually identified reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi). Researchers at Manta Ray Advocates Hawaii and the Manta Pacific Research Foundation catalog each individual using the unique spot patterns on their undersides. The catalog is maintained as a living database and grows as new individuals are documented.

Do the same manta rays come to Manta Village every night?

Not necessarily the same individuals every night, but many named residents appear with high frequency. The site draws from a large resident population, and the feeding behavior at Manta Village is a learned, generationally reinforced pattern. Some individuals — like Koie Ray and Big Bertha — are extremely consistent visitors. Others cycle through less predictably.

Who was the first manta ray ever identified in Kona?

Lefty was the first manta ray ever identified on the Kona Coast, documented in 1979. She is recognizable by her damaged left cephalic fin and has been observed over a period spanning more than four decades.

Can manta rays recognize individual humans?

Research suggests manta rays may recognize individual boats and associate them with food sources, a form of behavioral conditioning consistent with their appearance at Manta Village. Whether they distinguish individual humans is not established by current research, but their comfort with regular guides and crew members suggests at minimum a tolerance of familiar activity patterns.