The Stingray Sunlight Zone
Silent, smooth, and graceful, these animals are very sneaky. Stingrays swim like sharks, straight. They swim like this because of its flat plate like body. They are the art of the ocean, so let’s go learn about them together!
The coloring of the Stingray is murky colored. This helps it to successfully blend in to its surroundings. They live in both freshwater and
saltwater, that’s why they vary in shades depending on their habitat and the
particular species of Stingray. They can also range in size significantly based on location. Some of them are up to 6.5 feet in length. They can weigh up to 7 50 pounds.
Stingrays are mammals, and when they give birth to their young, the newborns already know how to swim. I wish I knew that. The mother takes care of them until they reach a certain maturity level. Then they drop them off at daycare and never come back. They let they live their own lives. Sometimes my mom wishes she could do that but unfortunately we are not a family of stingrays.
Like many other mammals, stingrays mainly eat fish. When they look for food they scan the bottom of the sand to find food. Then they lie on the bottom and eat. So be careful not to step on them!
They are mostly harmless except for the long rat like poisonous tail. It has a certain poison that could kill a human if they are stung in the heart or the head. A barb could also get stuck in your foot or wherever it hits. The sting is extremely painful and can last for months.
Stingrays, even though you might not see them swimming in the water, live in many different places. You will find the Stingray living in tropical and subtropical bodies of water. They love muddy bottoms and can go as
far as 91 meters down to the bottom. They also love coral reefs found in the Caribbean, because of its warm waters and abundant plant life.
If you happen to come across a stingray and it is alert, don’t forget to do the stingray shuffle. You gallop sideways without leaving your feet off the ground. Just be careful not to hurt the stingrays because they are a threatened species.
In conclusion: I hope you learned about what to do if you come across a stingray, what they eat, if they are harmless, and all the other facts about stingrays. People say sharks are the king of the ocean, but I don’t believe that. I think this amazing creature should be.
by: Keely
