Spotted Eagle Ray

Photo: Sergio Alejandro DC · © all rights reserved

Spotted eagle rays cruise the outer edge of El Aquario in small groups, their white-spotted dorsal surfaces catching the Caribbean light as they glide over the sand. They feed on molluscs and crustaceans by excavating the substrate with their disc-like snouts, often leaving excavation pits visible in the sand. Sightings peak during the dry-season upwelling months of December through March when cooler, nutrient-rich water draws them closer inshore.