By: Ann Kunz
This morning, uShaka Sea World staff released two Ribbon tail ray pups that were born on the 5th October in the Open Ocean exhibit. They were released into the sheltered waters behind the Vetches Reef.
This is the second birthing of pups this year from the same female. On the 3rd of January she gave birth to four pups and we expect she might be pregnant again. If this is the case, she will give birth to another litter in approximately nine months’ time.
Ribbon tail rays grow to a large size and have a disc width of up to 1.6m. They are widespread and occur from KZN northwards along the east African coast and in the Red Sea. They are often encountered by divers on offshore reefs and occasionally caught by shore anglers.
Ribbon tail rays feed on fish, crustaceans and molluscs.
