Butterfly Ray

Butterfly rays appear at El Puertito during spring and summer in smaller numbers than the resident stingrays but create among the most dramatic visual encounters due to their exceptional wingspan — individuals up to 2 metres across have been documented — and their habit of cruising slowly across open sand in full view without burying themselves. They are benthic predators of clams, small crustaceans, and fish, and their seasonal appearance at El Puertito correlates with warmer water temperatures and the abundance of the soft-bodied invertebrates that form their primary diet on sandy Atlantic substrates. As a species listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to trawl bycatch, their regular occurrence at this undisturbed bay represents a significant conservation observation every time they are recorded.