Posted by Michaela LeMay | 04.02.2024 | Sea Turtle Camp News

Fast Facts: Stingrays

Living in North Carolina, most locals are familiar with the stingray shuffle! Stingrays are beautiful animals that live right in our shallow waters! Here are some fast facts about sting rays!

-Their wings are modified pectoral fins.

-Many species have a venomous barb on their tail, that they use for protection.

-They are experts at burying themselves in the sand.

-The stingray shuffle is shuffling your feet as you walk through the water in hopes of bumping the stingray, instead of stepping on it to avoid injury.

-The Oceanic Manta Ray is the largest, growing over 20 feet.

-Their gills are located on the ventral side of their bodies.

-When stingrays lay on the bottom of the ocean floor, they have spiracles behind their eyes to continue breathing.

-Their teeth come together to form a grinding plate!

Stingrays are phenomenal animals that frequent the North Carolina waters. Many species are on the watch or endangered list because of their population declines. Remember always to leave the beach better than you found it!