Well-known Mallorcan diver Ramón Javier Fernández Barea, nicknamed 'Es Canari', has made another exceptional discovery during one of his dives in Mallorca's waters. The sighting occurred near Cap Andritxol, along the island's western coastline, where Fernández Barea regularly conducts voluntary clean-up operations beneath the waves.
The diver encountered a spectacular bull ray, an endangered species in the Mediterranean and one of the largest of its kind, potentially reaching over 2 metres in length. The impressive creature was found nestled among rocks, catching the attention of Ramón, who routinely documents his underwater encounters with a camera.
This sighting is particularly noteworthy as Fernández Barea reports having seen only three specimens throughout his many years of diving around the island. The bull ray population in the Mediterranean is critically declining due to overfishing and accidental catches, which represent the primary threats to the few remaining individuals spotted in these waters.
Beyond Mallorca's shores, bull rays have been documented off the coast near Tarragona, while other populations exist in the eastern Atlantic and Caribbean waters.