Stingrays have evolved from the same family as Sharks and therefore have similar features and sensory capabilities.

Over 100 Stingrays have been born and released at Kelly Tarlton's. Pheobe, our oldest and largest stingray weighing over 200kgs, was caught by Kelly Tarlton himself!

Currently there are two types of stingrays at Kelly Tarlton’s –

• short-tailed rays, which are the largest with some weighing more than 200 kilograms;
• and Eagle rays, which are the smallest.

 

Kelly Tarlton's Stingrays...

  

Short Tailed stingray

Weighing in at more than 200 kilograms, Short-tailed Rays are the largest fish at Kelly Tarlton’s. Luckily, Rays are intelligent and easy to work with. However, at feeding times, they are known to get quite playful. All our Short-tailed stingrays still have their barbs on, but have never used them on our divers. In fact they will move their tail to the opposite side of its body when divers approach.

 

Scientific Name:       Dasyatis brevicaudata

Maximum Length:   4.3 meters

Colour:                       Dark grey or black above with rows of white spots [sometimes faint] along each  wing, white below with a broad grey margin

Family:                       Dasyatidae

Captive Diet:             Mullet, Herring and Kahawai

Unusual Traits:        Swim by rippling their 'wings'

Habitat:                      Found around New Zealand, Southern Australia and South Africa

  

Eagle Rays 

Eagle Rays are generally found inshore in temperate and tropical seas. At Kelly Tarlton's we have several Eagle rays that inhabit our tanks.

Our Eagle Rays are obsessed with food and hound the divers during fish feeds. They like to nudge, push the bucket of food around and even sit on the diver’s head to get attention!

 

Scientific Name:           Myliobatis tenuicaudatus

Maximum Length:       1.6 meters

Colour:                           Olive- green, yellow or brown above, with pale blue or white marks, white underneath

Family:                            Myliobatididae

Captive Diet:                  Mullet, Herring, Mussels and Kahawai

Unusual Traits:             Swim using their 'wings' like birds

Habitat:                           Found around the North Island and the top of the South Island