Shark / rayOccasional

Spotted eagle ray

Aetobatus narinari

Like a huge bird gliding past you in the blue – meeting a spotted eagle ray is one of the most memorable moments of diving in Hurghada.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is one of the most elegant of all rays: its wingspan can reach 2 metres, and its dark back is covered in small white spots. The pattern is unique to each animal, like a fingerprint – researchers identify individuals from photographs. With its duckbill-shaped snout it digs through the sand, crushing clams and snails with powerful tooth plates.

Unlike rays that rest on the bottom, the eagle ray is almost always on the move, "flying" through the water with bird-like beats of its pectoral wings, sometimes alone, sometimes in small squadrons. In the Red Sea it appears mostly along reef walls on the current-exposed sides, typically towards the deeper, open-water zones – which is why divers meet it far more often than snorkelers.

Around Hurghada we see most eagle rays along the walls of Umm Gamar and Carless Reef and on the outer side of Abu Ramada. The encounter is usually brief but unforgettable: the ray cruises past the wall with slow, calm wingbeats, then dissolves into the blue. On wall dives, glance out into open water now and then – it pays off.

Did you know?

Every spotted eagle ray's dot pattern is unique, just like a human fingerprint – researchers track individual animals through photo identification. Eagle rays even leap clear out of the water at times, returning with a spectacular splash.

Where can you meet it?

It appears mostly along the current-swept walls of Umm Gamar and Carless Reef, and off the open-water side of Abu Ramada, arriving out of the blue.

Frequently asked questions

No: it is a distinctly shy animal that keeps a respectful distance from divers. Its tail does carry defensive spines, but these would only matter if someone grabbed the ray – which simply cannot happen in an open-water encounter. Enjoy the show from the wall, that is all you need to do.

There is a chance all year round, but every sighting involves some luck. The best spots are the outer, current-exposed walls of Umm Gamar and Carless Reef and the deeper side of Abu Ramada. On wall dives, scan the blue water regularly – that is where it comes from.

It feeds on clams, snails and crustaceans, which it roots out of the sand with its duckbill-shaped snout. Instead of pointed teeth its mouth holds strong, plate-like tooth bands that can crack even the toughest shells.