Critically Endangered· population decreasing· assessed 2025

Giant Devil Ray

Mobula mobular

Sighting evidence at Princess Alice Bank, São Miguel

Photo: guillaume_papuga · CC BY-NC

Giant devil rays form large aggregations over the bank between April and September, often cartwheeling at the surface before descending to feed on the zooplankton layers that collect around the pinnacle. They are critically endangered in the wider Atlantic but the Azores EEZ supports one of the healthiest remaining populations, and Princess Alice Bank is a known feeding and socialising hub. Divers routinely find themselves surrounded by wings spanning nearly 3 m.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Giant Devil Ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.