Rare sighting of Endangered Eagle Ray

Photo Courtesy of Shane Down

Passengers and crew aboard our Port Douglas-based dive and snorkel vessel Silversonic recently enjoyed an amazing experience, when an Ornate Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) was spotted swimming around “Castle Rock”, one of Quicksilver’s remote dive sites on the Agincourt reefs.
This gentle giant (one of the few species of eagle ray without a stinging barb) measured nearly 3.5m across the wings, and total length approaching 5m. The Ornate Eagle Ray is well named, as the patterns across the dorsal surface are exquisite, consisting of a mosaic of stripes and spots.

Doug Baird, Quicksilver Cruises’ Environment and Compliance Manager said, “The species is not well known, and there are only a few records from the northern parts of Australia. In fact, this may be the first record on the east coast of Australia.”

“They only produce 4-6 live young, making them highly vulnerable. Eagle rays live in the open ocean rather than at the bottom of the sea. They eat snails, mussels and crustaceans, crushing their shells with their extremely hard teeth. They are excellent swimmers and are able to jump several metres above the surface. They are classified as Endangered”.

Photos - Courtesy of Shane Down

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