The Bull Ray, also known as the Duckbill Eagle Ray or ‘Hamiema rasha twila’ in Maltese (which, funnily enough, translates to ‘the pigeon with the long neck’) has been spotted by several divers in the Maltese seas recently. It earns its amusing names from its snout-shaped head that resembles a duck’s bill.

When still young, Bull rays sport a few stripes that look bluish-grey in the water, which can sometimes give the youngsters a camouflage look! The graceful creature, when at full maturity, can exceed a whopping 2 metre wingspan, making it fairly intimidating to encounter while exploring underwater.

This species is likely to be found in the deeper sub-aquatic zones, reaching depths of 150m, as it prefers to feed on bottom dwelling invertebrates like crabs, mussels and oysters.

Bull rays are critically endangered rays which can be spotted all along Malta’s coast, usually favouring sandy beaches and their adjacent reefs. Currently, very little scientific data exists on these beautiful rays, leaving them exposed to threats and a lack of protection.

For this reason, places such as the Cirkewwa Marine Park are doing their utmost to offer refuge to these creatures by informing the public of their critical situation, as well as enforcing laws on illegal fishing practices.

Have you come across any of these rays during a dive?