A stingray that an angler unexpectedly caught in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour earlier this week is believed to be an endangered species, with Ocean Park saying the marine animal likely entered local waters by mistake.

A video went viral on social media this week showing the moment a large ray, commonly referred to in Chinese as a “devil fish”, was hooked and seen struggling near the waterfront in Shau Kei Wan.

The footage showed the fish’s distinct flat, disc-shaped body and long tail as it thrashed against the fishing line, attracting a crowd of onlookers along the waterfront.

Ocean Park told the Post on Wednesday that the animal in the video appeared to be a longhead eagle ray, also known as Aetobatus flagellum, which is classified as “endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

“This species is not commonly found in Victoria Harbour. Ocean Park’s marine animal experts believe that the ray likely entered the harbour accidentally,” a park spokesman said. “Ocean Park strongly advises the public to release any such animal immediately if caught.”

The medium-sized ray, usually found in estuarine waters of the Indo-West Pacific, is vulnerable to accidental capture by commercial fishing and has limited reproductive potential, producing only small litters, according to the IUCN.