Spotted eagle ray

Photo: danielq1234 · CC BY-NC

Spotted eagle rays cruise the mid-water column above Kelleston Drain's reef slope, their white-spotted backs and wingspan of up to 3 metres making them one of the most visually striking residents. They feed on buried molluscs and crustaceans, excavating craters in the sand with their distinctive duck-billed snout. Though wide-ranging across the tropical Atlantic, populations are listed as vulnerable due to bycatch and targeted fishing pressure.