Its arrival doesn’t get anywhere near the attention of the first long tail, but a sighting of a black sea hare is a sure sign that spring is on the way.A 15in black hare, also known as an “undertaker”, is now on display at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ).The animal was caught by St David’s resident Delvina Caines, who saw it while fishing off Chapel of Ease Road.“There are always unusual animals to be found in our waters,” said BAMZ’s Robbie Smith.“These sea hares can be quite common in the springtime. They’re big and very distinctive animals, and they rely on being distinctive to deter other animals from eating them. They secrete an unpleasant tasting chemical.”Ms Caines initially thought the sea hare was a turtle breaking the water.“I was fishing with my boyfriend and we saw this big, weird-looking creature come swimming by,” Ms Caines said. “It kind of freaked me out, but I jumped in after it, and we took it to the Aquarium in a bucket.”Sea hares are so-called for their wing-like appendages that resemble long ears, which they use to propel themselves.Dr Smith said the animals, which feed on plants and algae, are picky eaters and cannot be kept for long. “We’ll put it on display for a while, and then release it on the North Shore,” he said.He said other unusual creatures spotted recently in local waters include a five-foot squid seen by charter fishermen, and giant bristle worms found on floating debris at Clarence Cove in Pembroke.Useful web link: www.bamz.org.