Manta Ray Research Volunteer amazon expeditions conservation marine tours and research Ecuador

Our Amazon and Andes programs are unique in style and content. We work closely with one of the country's top NGO's to enable us access to their exclusive and groundbreaking research events. Read more by downloading the AMAZON NATURALIST pdf

Manta Rays are one of our ocean’s most charismatic residents. Their huge, easily recognisable shape inspires awe in divers and other water users, and no diver can ever forget the first time they saw a manta underwater. They appear as mysterious to divers as they do to science. Little is known about their lives, and their ghostly, enormous yet silent appearance along the world’s tropical and temperate reef systems have inspired generations of people. Project Elasmo was developed to find out more about the migratory population of Manta birostris that visits the coast of Ecuador each summer.

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Due to the success of our project with the manta rays we have extended our time in the area to a year round project. Although we can't study mantas all year, we can do some positive work for the local marine environment. Our project is based around species presence in the park and over the next few years we can build a database of species and record the water conditions in the area of study to see if any patterns develop.
Our work here will help in encouraging the relevant authorities to become advocates of a conservation perspective and work with the local community to preserve their marine heritage.

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Condors, Caiman, Pink River Dolphin are names of animals inspiring our imagination of this latin american country. It is rare however to see them, and we are well placed to bring you encounters with such incredible wildlife.