In recent years, an unprecedented development has been observed in the Gulf of Trieste, a case unique in the entire Mediterranean. Large groups of bull rays (locally known as “vaccarelle”), among the biggest eagle rays in the Mediterranean, are being sighted with increasing frequency in the coastal waters off Trieste.
Over the past three years the phenomenon has reached a significant scale and frequency, even though this is a species already present in the Mediterranean Sea and recorded for years.
“This is the first year in which we are seeing a high number of individuals gathering in groups that have reached as many as 50 animals,” says Saul Ciriaco, head of monitoring activities for WWF Miramare Marine Protected Area (Amp) and vice-president of the cooperative Shoreline.
The phenomenon has naturally sparked the interest of researchers and enthusiasts, as this is a rare, protected species, but at the same time it is creating problems for local mussel farms, which have reported damage to their mussel lines, as these have become an easy food source attracting the animals.
“We had never seen this kind of interaction between bull rays and human activities,” explains Simona Clò, marine biologist and scientific director of MedSharks, an association for the conservation of marine species in the Mediterranean, stressing the need to find non-invasive technologies and solutions to protect mussel farmers and safeguard the bull rays.
