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also two Roughtail Rays living
in the aquarium. They look
very similar to the Southern
Stingrays, but their body and
tail are covered in small thorns
and white splotches. The
Roughtail Rays are also the
largest species in size, clocking
in at over two hundred pounds.
Finally, the Spotted Eagle Rays,
with their polka dot body and
a unique rostrum, are known
for breaching the surface and
gracefully leaping out of the
water. Spotted Eagle Rays are
listed as Near Threatened by
the IUCN, International Union
for Conservation of Nature.
Also in the tank is a species
of small hammerhead sharks
called Bonnethead sharks, barb is gone, the stingray must without overfishing, can create
swimming near the water’s grow a new one, a process that lower by-catch numbers, and
surface. The sharks and can take up to three months. reduce habitat damage. Shark
WORLD OCEAN DAY stingrays are in this tank During that time, the injured finning is also a huge risk to
together because these two
sharks as well as all marine life.
ray is defenseless, so you can
SEA OF VOICES species are closely related. understand why they do not Where less than ten people
They belong to a group of use the barb unless they have are fatally injured by sharks
animals called elasmobranchs. to! Staff will clip the stingrays’ each year, worldwide, humans
Mermaid Paige visits One of the interesting traits barbs to keep the divers and are responsible for the death
animals safe and healthy at the
that elasmobranchs share is
of over 150 million sharks. If
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada their unique skeletons. Sharks aquarium, just like a human we lose sharks, a top predator,
cutting their fingernails.
and rays do not have hard
entire ocean food webs could
to learn about Stingrays calcium bones in their body. Humans are far more be thrown out of balance.
Instead, their skeletons are
composed of cartilage. Think dangerous to stingrays and
of how your ears or nose feel sharks than they are to us. A
when you manipulate them, as 2014 report from Simon Fraser
BY: MERMAID PAIGE © 2021 BY OCEAN MERMAID PAIGE they are also made of cartilage. University found that over a
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RIPLEY’S AQUARIUM OF CANADA LP A cartilaginous skeleton keeps quarter of sharks and rays are
LOCATION: RIPLEY’S AQUARIUM OF CANADA LP these animals light and flexible at risk of going extinct.
TORONTO, CANADA | RIPLEYAQUARIUMS.COM/CANADA in the water.
A major threat to these
The public often views animals is overfishing and
On June 8, 2021, Ocean local zoos, rescue centers, and of the stingrays in the tank are stingrays as very dangerous accidental by-catch. We
Mermaid Paige headed to aquariums to speak about called the Cownose Rays. They animals, when in fact, they are encourage everyone to think
Ray Bay, where the stingrays the biodiversity in the oceans. get their name from the short generally very docile, allowing critically about where their
live inside Ripley’s Aquarium This article summarizes the round lobes on the front of scuba divers to swim with seafood comes from and how
of Canada to collaborate exclusive interview Ocean their heads that give them the them in the wild. Stingrays do it was caught. By choosing to
with the incredible staff and Mermaid Paige had with appearance of having a cow’s possess a venomous barb that purchase sustainable seafood,
education team and discuss Katie, head of the educational nose. The Cownose Rays like grows out of a part of their tails, you can help ensure that
the fascinating sea creatures department at Ripley’s to swim throughout the entire but this barb is only used as a our stingrays and sharks are
with Katie and Lizzie. This was Aquarium of Canada, about tank but enjoy coming up to defensive measure to protect around for future generations
a live event streamed for free her in-depth knowledge on the surface to get some gentle them from predators such as to see and enjoy. We encourage
online called Sea of Voices, stingrays. pets from a passersby in the sharks, large fish, or orcas. If sustainable seafood through
in collaboration with Fins aquarium. Southern Stingrays a stingray uses its barb, it can a program like Ocean
Magazine and the CILC for There are many species homed have a large round body with break off into the attacking Wise, which helps promote
World Ocean Day. It brought in Ray Bay, including four a whip-like tail, and they prefer predator, giving them time to awareness about types of fish
together mermaids from different kinds of stingrays and to hang out near the bottom swim away to safety. Once the that are commercially caught
around the world to host from one type of shark. The smallest of the tank. Then there are
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