Why do mobula rays jump? What science knows (and what it doesn't yet)
Nobody knows for sure. A 2024 scientific review gathered ten possible reasons why sharks and rays leap, including removing parasites, courtship, communicating with others and feeding or stunning prey [1]. Its own authors acknowledge that for most species we still don't know why they do it [3].
First you hear a sharp slap, like a clap on the water. You turn and see another one: a mobula shooting out, flapping in the air as if flying, and landing belly-first. Then another. And another. It's one of the most photogenic shows in the Gulf of California, and one of its great mysteries.
Mobulas aren't the only ones that jump
A review published in 2024 in Environmental Biology of Fishes compiled what's known about breaching in sharks and rays. It documents leaps in several shark families and in rays such as mobulas (Mobulidae), eagle rays and stingrays [1]. Sometimes the animal clears the water completely; other times it only partly emerges in a kind of lunge [1].
The ten hypotheses
The authors present and discuss evidence for these possible functions [1]:
- Removing parasites from the skin.
- Clearing the gill rakers (the structures that filter food).
- Expelling feces or internal parasites.
- Courtship.
- Attracting others of their species.
- Being repelled by other individuals.
- Evading others of their own species.
- Feeding.
- Concentrating or stunning prey.
- Giving birth.
So why don't we know yet?
Because studying a one-second leap in open water is hard. Research has moved from scattered observations to animal-borne data loggers, digital photography and aerial and underwater drones [1]. Even so, the lead researcher acknowledges that we still don't know why most sharks and rays breach [3].
See it in person
The La Ventana area is a key spot for mobula reproduction [2]. On our La Ventana Ocean Safari we go out with a marine biologist guide who helps you read the sea. Check when to see mobula rays in La Ventana to pick your dates.
Experience it with Keabelmet
Frequently asked questions
Why do manta and mobula rays jump?
There are at least ten hypotheses: removing parasites, clearing gills, courtship, communication, feeding or stunning prey, among others [1]. None is confirmed for most species [3].
How high do mobula rays jump?
It varies a lot; what's observed is that sometimes they clear the water completely and other times only part of the body emerges [1].
When do mobulas jump the most in Baja California Sur?
Their courtship and mating season around La Ventana runs March to August, peaking in May [2].
Scientific sources
The wildlife, season and geography facts in this article come from these publications. The [n] citations in the text link here.
- Klimley, A. P., Curtis, T. H., Johnston, E. M., Kock, A. & Stevens, G. M. W. (2024). A review of elasmobranch breaching behavior: why do sharks and rays propel themselves out of the water into the air?. Environmental Biology of Fishes 108(4): 441–481. doi.org/10.1007/s10641-024-01584-5
- Palacios, M. D., Trejo-Ramírez, A., Velázquez-Hernández, S., Huesca-Mayorga, S. A. K., Stewart, J. D., Cronin, M. R., Lezama-Ochoa, N., Zilliacus, K. M., González-Armas, R., Galván-Magaña, F. & Croll, D. A. (2023). Reproductive behavior, seasonality, and distribution of three devil ray species (Mobula mobular, M. thurstoni, and M. munkiana) in the Southern Gulf of California, Mexico. Marine Biology 171(1): 12. doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04314-0
- University of California, Davis (2024). Sharks and rays leap out of the water for many reasons, including feeding, courtship and communication. UC Davis News. www.ucdavis.edu/news/sharks-and-rays-leap-out-water-many-rea…
