New baby Stingrays learning to "fin" for themselves

New baby Stingrays learning to "fin" for themselves 

JACKSONVILLE, FL - Two baby Southern Stingrays (Dasyatis americana) are now at home at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Stingray Bay exhibit. The two female rays were born early morning on May 14, 2008.

The baby rays in their "play pens"

The rays, named Aquata and Nelamie, were born to Ariel, who has a disc span of 21 inches and weighs approximately 75 pounds. At birth Aquata weighed 11 ounces with a disc width of six inches and Nelamie weighed 14 ounces and is seven inches across. Stingray mothers have nothing to do with their young after birth; therefore, for their protection, the babies were placed in separate, make shift "play pens" that have colorful floating devices attached. Visitors can see the babies in the pens, but cannot touch them until they are released into the open pool (usually about one month).

"The babies were rolled up like a newspaper while inside the mother and spread their fins when they entered their new world," said Dennis Pate, executive director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. "We are delighted at these new additions to our exhibit that will add even more to our guest experience.

It is not known whether Ariel became pregnant before or after she came to the Zoo in March. There is no normal gestation period; however, it is usually from four to 10 months. They lived on mother’s milk until they were born and now are fed brine and other shrimp and lake smelt. The babies will remain in the pens until they are large enough to adequately compete for food.

Mother and daughter

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Stingray Bay exhibit opened in March and will be opened until the end of September this year, and will reopen again March 1 through September 30, 2009. The exhibit, which is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long and holds 17,000 gallons of heated and treated water, contains a total of 31 stingrays including Cownose and Southern species. The exhibit is owned and managed by Living Exhibits, Inc.

For 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914, with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Located on Jacksonville’s North side one mile off I-95, the Zoo is open year-round, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Zoo is open until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org