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MARINE

VIDEO: Amazing rescue of Giant Devil Ray on Costa del Sol beach

When a giant devil ray was caught in a net just off shore a Playa de la Mata in Torrevieja on Sunday, the rescue services knew exactly what to do.

Published: 31 July 2018 11:42 CEST
VIDEO: Amazing rescue of Giant Devil Ray on Costa del Sol beach
Photo: Fabrizio Serena /IUCN Red List

Police, life guards and local marine biologists went to the aid of the massive fish, measuring almost 2m across, untangling it and transporting it on a stretcher towed by a jet ski to a safe distance from the shore.

While crowds of curious beachgoers cheered and clapped from the shore, the fish can be seen waving its fins before swimming off into deeper water.

The rescue was coordinated by Juan Antonio Pujol, a marine bioloigist connected to Torrevieja Town Hall.

The Giant devil ray (Mobula mobular) is found in the Medierrarnean but rarely spotted close to sure. It is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN Red List and  

The successful rescue is, happily, in stark contrast to an incident that occurred on a beach in Mojacar last August when beachgoers mobbed a baby dolphin taking selfies with it.

The dophin died before marine animal rescuers could get to the scene.

READ MORE: Baby dolphin dies after being mobbed by selfie-seeking beachgoers

WILDLIFE

Spain bans sailing after spate of rogue killer whale attacks on yachts

Spain has temporarily banned sailboats from a stretch of its northwestern coast after several vessels were damaged in attacks by orcas, or killer whales, in recent weeks.

Published: 24 September 2020 09:51 CEST
Spain bans sailing after spate of rogue killer whale attacks on yachts
File photo: AFP

The week-long ban, which came into effect on Tuesday night, applies to sailboats under 15 metres (49 feet) long and aims to protect “both people and the orcas”, the transport ministry said in a statement.

It extends between the capes of the Priorino Grande and la Punta de Estaca de Bares in the northwestern region of Galicia, a stretch of about 100 kilometres (60 miles) of coast.

The first attack was reported on August 19th, said the ministry. Since then there had been several more orca attacks against sailboats, causing various degrees of damage to the vessels, mostly to their rudders.

The sailboats attacked were all under 15 metres long.   

A video posted on social media shows orcas swimming alongside and underneath a Spanish naval yacht in August off the coast of Galicia before the sailors realise the rudder has been damaged.

The prohibition could be extended to other stretches of the coast “following the migration routes” of the orcas, which are categorised as “vulnerable” species, the ministry added.

Orcas can weigh up to six tonnes and grow up to 32 feet in length — about the size of a school bus — according to the World Wildlife Fund.

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