Spotted Eagle Ray

Photo: michel candel · CC BY-NC-SA

Eagle rays cruise the outer reef wall at Calanggaman in loose groups of two to six individuals, identifiable by their white-spotted dark backs and long, whip-like tails. They feed by digging through sandy substrate with their flattened snout to excavate bivalves and crustaceans, excavating pits that are subsequently colonized by other species — an ecological engineering role that shapes the sandy habitats adjacent to the reef. Spotted eagle rays are wide-ranging and are seen at Calanggaman most consistently during the northeast monsoon months when plankton productivity around the island peaks.