A front-row seat at the courtship ballet of spinetail devil rays was an unexpected treat for Duncan. Two males were competing for the attention of a female. When the trio fell into a striking formation, Duncan, who was snorkelling above, reacted instinctively to capture this seldom-seen behaviour.
Spinetail devil rays only have one pup each time they breed and populations cannot keep up with the rate at which they are being fished, in particular for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Though it might appear to be a parasite, the fish attached to the tail of the ray on the left is actually a harmless suckerfish tagging along for a free ride and food scraps.
UK
Duncan has been an adventure traveller, conservation photographer, writer and teacher for more than 35 years. He is currently based in the Philippines, where he has been photographing whale sharks, and is involved in rainforest conservation. He also works with the Borneo Nature Foundation in Kalimantan on their important conservation projects.
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