## 5 Conclusions  
This study highlights the localized movement patterns and high residency of satellite-tracked reef manta rays in central and eastern Indonesia, particularly within and around marine protected areas (MPAs). The high site fidelity and residency times of these rays in critical habitats, such as cleaning stations and feeding sites within MPAs, suggest that these protected areas are well sited and are providing significant protection for reef manta rays already. However, the absence of movement between regions, as indicated by satellite tracking data from the current study, coupled with limited movements--particularly between Nusa Penida and Komodo--observed through photographic identification data from another study, highlights the need for tailored management strategies to address the specific needs of each local population, as has been previously suggested for the three local subpopulations in Raja Ampat. Despite the generally restricted home ranges observed in this study, several individuals demonstrated extended ranges to neighboring areas outside the MPA boundaries, highlighting potential exposures to anthropogenic threats such as fisheries. These findings enhance our understanding of reef manta ray behavior and residency on a national scale, offering valuable insights to inform the management and conservation of reef manta rays within the world's largest manta ray sanctuary. Conceptualization, E.S., A.B.S. and M.V.E. ; investigation, A.B.S., M.V.E., R.M., E.S., M.I., M., F., O.A. and A.W.H. ; formal analysis, E.S. and M.I.H.P. ; visualization, E.S. ; data curation, E.S. ; writing--original draft preparation, E.S., writing--review and editing, E.S., A.B.S., M.V.E., R.M., M.I., I.M., M., F., O.A., A.W.H. and M.I.H.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. The research was generously funded by David and Lucile Packard Foundation, SEA Aquarium Singapore, Sunbridge Foundation, Wolcott Henry Foundation, Save the Blue Foundation, MAC3 Impact Philanthropies, Stellar Blue Fund, [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF), and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The animal study was conducted following protocol 002228 and was reviewed and approved by the University of Auckland Animal Ethics Committee. Permissions to conduct the research in Raja Ampat were granted by the Raja Ampat Marine Protected Area (MPA) Management Authorities (Balai Kawasan Konservasi Perairan National (BKKPN) Kupang and BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat). Permissions to conduct the research in Nusa Penida, Komodo, and Berau were granted by the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. Not applicable. The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the Movebank Data Repository [67]. **Acknowledgments:** The authors thank the Government of Indonesia (including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries), the Raja Ampat MPA Management Authorities (UPTD-BLUD KKPD Raja Ampat and Balai Kawasan Konservasi Perairan Nasional (BKKPN) Kupang), and, in particular, the adat people of Raja Ampat for hosting this work. We thank Balai Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Pessiar dan Laut (BPSPL) Denpasar for supporting the work in Nusa Penida, Bali. We thank [PERSON] and The Indonesian Manta Project, [PERSON], the late [PERSON], and [PERSON] for their support of this manta ray research and conservation program in Raja Ampat. We thank Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF) and Reef Check Indonesia for their support for this study in Raja Ampat in 2021. We extend warm thanks to the following people or dive/tourism operators for their assistance during data collection in the field: Sangalaki Resort (Sangalaki, East Kalimantan), Bali Dive Academy (Nusa Penida, Bali), [PERSON] and [PERSON] from Dive Komodo as well as [PERSON] and the MantaWatch team (Komodo), and Misool Resort and Papua Diving (Raja Ampat).