Giant Oceanic Manta Ray vs Polar bear

Manta birostris compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is Endangered while Polar bear is Vulnerable.
• Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is omnivore while Polar bear is carnivore.
• Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is 3.1x heavier than Polar bear.
• Giant Oceanic Manta Ray lives longer (50 years vs 25 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Giant Oceanic Manta Ray	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Rhincodon (Whale Sharks)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Manta birostris	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

EN — Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Giant Oceanic Manta Ray	Polar bear
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	50 years	25 years
Average Length	5.0 m	2.4 m
Average Weight	1.4 t	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including flooded grasslands and savannas, mangrove forests and coastal wetlands, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 5 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan and Neotropic realms.

Range

Distributed across Australia, Ecuador, Maldives, Mexico, and Mozambique. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

The giant manta ray is the largest ray species, with a wingspan up to 7 meters. They are filter feeders.

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.