20 Years Of Manta Magic: Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru Marked Two Decades At The Heart Of Manta Conservation In The Maldives

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru marked 20 years of supporting manta conservation in the Maldives with a week-long celebration in September 2026. Since 2006, the Resort has provided a home base, practical fieldwork resources and a platform for education to the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme (MMCP) and Manta Trust. In collaboration with Maldivian authorities, island communities, researchers, educators, volunteers and partners across the country, these organizations have delivered pioneering conservation programmes supported by the Resort.

Held from September 11 to 17, 2026, at Landaa Giraavaru, the anniversary celebrations brought together researchers, conservation partners, community representatives and guests. 20 Years of Manta Magic featured field experiences, scientific talks and marine conservation activities designed to inspire and educate. The celebrations culminated on World Manta Day, September 17, whose 2026 theme, Collaboration, aptly reflected the spirit of the two-decade partnership.

That message remains as important as ever. Globally, all 10 species of manta and devil ray are threatened with extinction. Targeted fishing and accidental bycatch are the key pressures they face, alongside entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation and poorly managed wildlife encounters. The Maldives has protected all ray species nationally since 2014. In 2025, the international community took another significant step by voting to transfer all 10 species to CITES Appendix I, the highest level of international trade protection. The decision reinforced the importance of collective stewardship in securing the future of these extraordinary animals.

Twenty years of conservation and care

In 2005, Dr Guy Stevens established the Maldivian Manta Ray Project, the country's first full-time manta research project. When Landaa Giraavaru opened in 2006, Stevens joined as resident marine biologist, and the island became a base for his fieldwork. In time, the project developed into the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme, now a registered Maldivian charity and one of the world's largest and longest-running manta research programmes. In 2011, Stevens co-founded the Manta Trust, which today supports more than 30 affiliate projects around the world.

Every manta ray has a unique pattern of spots on its underside, much like a fingerprint. By matching photographs collected over time, researchers can identify individual animals, study their movements and monitor changes across the population. MMCP has identified more than 6,000 individual reef manta rays from over 80,000 sightings, and more than 1,000 oceanic mantas. These records establish the Maldives as home to the world's largest documented population of reef manta rays.

"What began 20 years ago as a single research project at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru has grown into one of the world's leading manta conservation programs," says Dr Guy Stevens, Chief Executive of the Manta Trust. "It has transformed our understanding of these species and helped secure meaningful protections nationally and globally. This milestone is a testament to collaboration and a reminder that, by uniting science, stewardship and collective action, we can help manta rays and the ecosystems they depend on continue to thrive."

Turning evidence into protection

The achievements of the past two decades belong to a broad coalition, led by the MMCP and Manta Trust. The Resort's contribution has been continuity: providing a stable island base for teams of dedicated marine biologists and helping guests and colleagues understand why the science matters.

Together, long-term research and collaboration have helped to:

Support the 2009 designation of Hanifaru Bay and Anga Faru as Marine Protected Areas, and the responsible management of tourism around feeding mantas.

Contribute research supporting Baa Atoll's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation in 2011, with further research supporting Fuvahmulah and Addu's recognition.

Provide key evidence that helped secure national protection for all ray species, including manta and devil rays, in the Maldives in 2014.

Lead or co-author more than 10 peer-reviewed scientific publications that have informed Maldivian manta ray conservation policy, species protection and habitat management.

Submit 43 proposals for Important Shark and Ray Areas across the Western Indian Ocean, of which 26 were approved, leading to more informed conservation planning.

Provide research for international conservation assessments, including the Convention on Migratory Species, CITES listings and IUCN Red List.

Make manta tourism more responsible through research-backed guidelines and a global Code of Conduct.

Engage Maldivians in conservation through school outreach and community initiatives including Ocean School, Ocean Women and the RahVeshi Programme.

"Conservation is not a seasonal initiative. It requires continuity, patience and the humility to follow the science," says Armando Kraenzlin, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru. "For 20 years, Landaa's role has been to give this work a stable home, practical support and a bridge to guests, colleagues and communities. We are proud of what this partnership has enabled and clear-eyed about how much work still lies ahead."

From encounter to understanding

At the Resort, guest engagement continues to bring people closer to the science, with education and responsible conduct taking precedence over the promise of a sighting. Fourteen full-time marine biologists at the Marine Discovery Centre (MDC) play a central role, sharing their knowledge and passion through experiences such as the full-day Trainee Manta Biologist immersion. During manta season, which typically runs from May to December, guests registered for Manta-On-Call can be contacted when mantas are located. When weather conditions allow, they travel by speedboat with MDC experts for a responsibly managed snorkelling experience.

Manta enthusiasts can also get up close and personal with life-size marine life without getting wet in the Maldives' first Hologram Room at Landaa Giraavaru, offering a dry-land virtual underwater experience. Manta Story, a free interactive app created by Four Seasons and Manta Trust, uses the real Maldivian manta ray population to offer insights into manta feeding, cleaning, courtship and reproduction.

The next chapter

Having celebrated two decades of collaboration, Landaa Giraavaru and its conservation partners are looking ahead to the next chapter, with continued priorities including long-term population monitoring, responsible tourism and locally led education.

The Resort remains both a base and a bridge for this work, supporting the researchers and communities protecting the Maldives' manta rays while giving guests meaningful ways to learn from them, contribute to conservation and return home with a deeper connection to the ocean.

To learn more, visit Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme and the Manta Trust.