Spotted eagle ray

Photo: michel candel · CC BY-NC-SA

Spotted eagle rays glide through Shaab Claudia's lagoon in small groups, their polka-dot dorsal surfaces unmistakable as they bank through the clear water above sandy corridors. They use their distinctive flattened snout to excavate molluscs and crustaceans from the sand, leaving characteristic pits across the lagoon floor that signal recent feeding activity. Despite their imposing wing span — sometimes exceeding 2 m — they are shy and tend to maintain distance from divers, rewarding patient, still technique.