Species Type:
Sharks & Rays, Fishes
Common Name(s):
Cownose ray
Size:
Cownose rays can grow up to 7 feet (2.1 meters), but on average only grow to be 4 feet (1.2 meters). These rays can get as heavy as 50 pounds!
Diet:
As carnivores, cownose rays like to eat lobsters, clams, crabs, oysters, and other aquatic invertebrate.
Range & Habitat:
Cownose rays prefer shallow coastal waters but migrate often so they can also be found in open waters. They can be found in the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico.
Details:
The cownose ray has a lighter underside and darker top making them experts at camouflaging themselves in the sand. This helps them hide from predators and even disguise themselves for hunting prey. Hiding in sands across the Gulf of Mexico, these rays are on the social side, meaning they tend to migrate in large groups. When Jun and July roll around, the cow nose ray begins to breed. These rays give birth to live young, one offspring at a time. These rays are listed at Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.