Photo of the Day

a manta ray off the coast of Mayotte
July 28, 2016

Gentle Giant

A manta ray pokes a fin through the water’s surface off the French island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. The mantas’ size and fearsome-looking cephalic fins once earned the animals the name devilfish; however, we now know better: Scuba divers have found them to be gentle and accommodating.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Photograph by Gaby Barathieu, National Geographic Your Shot

Go Further