Why stingrays migrate

Hummingbird Migration. Salmon Run. Mullet Migration. Birds Migration. Monarch Butterflies. Wildebeest Migration. Greater Flamingos. Whale Watching in Alaska. Turtle Nesting and Hatching. Beach Season. Even when isolated, they will attack only when cornered or threatened. Unlike other stingrays, they rarely rest on the seabed where unsuspecting humans can step on them and prefer to be on the move.

They migrate long distances, and can be found as far south as the Caribbean and as far north as New England. They use their extended pectoral fins to swim, and often turn upside down, curling their fin tips above the surface of the water - leaving terrified swimmers convinced that they have seen a shark. Close up: The rays, properly known as Cow-nosed Stingrays, are known because of their bovine-like high-domed heads.

Their flexible fins also come in handy when rustling up food. By flapping them rapidly over the seabed, they stir up sand and reveal crabs, shellfish and oysters, which they then feed on using their powerful, grinding teeth. Their particular fondness for shellfish has made them public enemy number one with oyster fishermen.

But despite this, their numbers are exploding, thanks in part to rising sea temperatures. They mate every winter, and females produce a litter of five to ten young. Stunning: Onlookers watch as thousands of Golden rays make their migration in the Gulf of Mexico.

Stingrays which are related to skates and sharks have never been widely fished for food, mainly because of their rubbery flesh.

But barbecued stingray and dried fins are common in Singapore and Malaysia, while pickled stingray remains a traditional favourite in Iceland. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

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To swim, some stingrays move their whole bodies in a wavy motion that propels them through the water. Other species flap their fins like bird wings and "fly" through the water.

Some kinds of stingrays have a spine in their tail with a very sharp point and edges that are serrated or notched. Many species, including the exotic-looking blue-spotted stingray, have venom that is delivered through their tails. That venom, and the spine itself, can be dangerous to humans. Stingrays prefer shallow, near-shore waters in warm parts of the world. Here, they spend most of their time lying partially buried on the ocean floor hiding from predators, like sharks , or waiting for prey to swim by.

Their colors usually match the mud or sand they hide in. While a stingray's mouth is on the underside of its body, along with its nostrils and gill slits, its eyes are on the top. Scientists don't think they use their eyes for hunting very much though.