A baby manta ray swimming near Central America. Image: Jeffry Madrigal

Before giant manta rays ( Mobula birostris ) can grow to up to 30 feet long and 4,409 pounds, they must start small like most living things. Giant manta ray babies (called pups) in Central America don’t have their size to protect them from orca whales ( Orcinus orca ) and the numerous sharks in the open ocean . Their solution—sticking to the coast, where there is plenty of food to help them grow and defend themselves. A new study published today in the journal Frontiers in Fish Science details the baby rays’ behavior.

“We show that manta rays’ lifestyle isn’t a one-size-fits-all behavior. Giant manta rays in Central America undergo a dramatic shift in space use as they mature,” Jeffry Madrigal-Mesén , a study co-author and project leader of Mantas Costa Rica, said in a statement .…