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Date Published: 15/07/2024

Video shows the moment an unexpected visitor shows up on Orihuela Costa beach

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A ray suddenly swam up close to the shore of Campoamor beach

¡Guau! Esta mañana (12/07/2024), ejemplar de raya común en las Playas de #Orihuela (#Alicante), concretamente en la #DehesaDeCampoamor, aproximándose mucho a la orilla del #MarMediterráneo. Vídeo: Nicolas De Clerck. pic.twitter.com/fA0mjMefkX
— MeteOrihuela (@MeteOrihuela) July 12, 2024

Beachgoers at the Campoamor beach in Orihuela Costa were stunned this weekend to see a large devil ray swimming so close to the shore in shallow waters that it was almost around their feet.

In the Dehesa de Campoamor, those present observed a species that, although common in the Mediterranean Sea, had never been seen by many of them since they normally stay near the bottom of the sea in deep waters.

These rays usually live offshore in small clusters, and can rarely be seen close to the coast.

“Manta ray!” shouted the children who saw it. “This is going to be on the news!” said one person, as seen in a video filmed by Nicolas de Clerck and shared by MeteOrihuela.

Devil rays (Mobula mobular) are part of the manta ray family and have spiny tails. It is one of the larger species of rays, but it is not known how big the specimen was that appeared in Campoamor. After gracing the beach with its presence, the animal continued on its way out to sea.

Some experts are theorising that the only reason it may have come so close is that it had become disoriented.

Manta rays can measure between five and eight metres in length and the largest ones can weigh over a tonne and a half, about the same as a medium-sized hippopotamus.

Read also: 10 species of jellyfish you could come across in Spain

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