The Houston Zoo's Kipp Aquarium has seven tiny new
additions to its growing family. (The Zoo) is proud to announce the birth of
seven baby stingrays. Their mom and dad are checkerboard freshwater
stingrays, a species from South America. Dad can be seen swimming in
Kipp Aquarium, while mom and babies are staying in their cozy tanks in
the Aquarium Quarantine until they are ready to go out and meet the
public.
The video below takes you behind the scenes to the Aquarium
Quarantine Building with its bubbling tanks full of exotic marine life,
including our new crop of baby stingrays:
You can see stingrays in Kipp Aquarium as well as in the Natural
Encounters building. Varieties in these exhibits include orange-spotted
freshwater stingrays and white-spotted freshwater stingrays.
Encounters building. Varieties in these exhibits include orange-spotted
freshwater stingrays and white-spotted freshwater stingrays.
Orange spotted freshwater stingray
Stingrays get their name from the spine or barb located on their
tail, seen near the very left of the photo above. "Crocodile Hunter"
Steve Irwin died after being stung in the chest by a marine stingray as
he was snorkeling off the coast of Australia; however, this unusual
accident misconstrues this primarily docile animal, which uses its
stinger not to hunt but to defend itself if it feels
threatened. Stingrays prefer slower prey such as aquatic insects,
molluscs, or crustaceans. In the video above you can see bloodworms
floating near the bottom of the tank, a food offering for our baby
stingrays.
tail, seen near the very left of the photo above. "Crocodile Hunter"
Steve Irwin died after being stung in the chest by a marine stingray as
he was snorkeling off the coast of Australia; however, this unusual
accident misconstrues this primarily docile animal, which uses its
stinger not to hunt but to defend itself if it feels
threatened. Stingrays prefer slower prey such as aquatic insects,
molluscs, or crustaceans. In the video above you can see bloodworms
floating near the bottom of the tank, a food offering for our baby
stingrays.
Stingraysglide gracefully by undulating their body like a wave. Their flat
bodies allow for terrific camouflage on the floor of the ocean or a
river, where they can bury themselves in the sand so only their eyes
are showing. They have large spiracles near their eyes that allow them
to breathe easily while buried and motionless.
Marine stingrays can be found in tropical coastal waters
throughout the world, and freshwater stingrays are found in Asia,
Africa, and South America. Adult stingray species range in size from
palm-sized to up to 14 feet in diameter. Most species are widespread
and abundant, but there are a few species listed as vulnerable or
endangered due to polluted water or other habitat degradation.
throughout the world, and freshwater stingrays are found in Asia,
Africa, and South America. Adult stingray species range in size from
palm-sized to up to 14 feet in diameter. Most species are widespread
and abundant, but there are a few species listed as vulnerable or
endangered due to polluted water or other habitat degradation.
A group or collection of stingrays is commonly referred to as a "fever" of stingrays.
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