Located within the highest protection zone of the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island is a haven for manta rays. There is still so much to learn about these intriguing and lesser-known giants of the sea. Thanks to their frequent visits, Lady Elliot Island has become one of the very few worldwide research bases for mantas. Scientists track the mantas using the pattern of spots on their underbelly, believed to be as unique to a manta as fingerprints are to humans.