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  • Cownose Ray
Fish

Cownose Ray

Scientific Name

Rhinoptera javanica

Other Common Name(s)

Javanese Cownose Ray, Javanese Cow Ray, Flapnose Ray, Flapray

Body Weight

Up to 4.5 kg

Body Width

Up to 1.5 m

Manta ray and diver silhouettes
Stingray swimming underwater, facing forward with its underside visible.

Habitat

Ocean
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Diet

Crustaceans and other shellfish such as clams and oysters
Fish, scallop, squid, and shrimp.

Fun Facts

  • Schooling behaviour is observed in cownose rays, which form large groups of up to 500 members.

  • Cownose rays have hard dental plates instead of sharp teeth. They locate shellfish hidden in the seabed and use their rows of dental plates to crush open those shells.

  • A ray with a light blue underside swims in deep blue water with sunbeams.
    Underside of a ray with its mouth and gill slits visible against a dark blue background.

    Distribution

    Indian Ocean to Western Pacific Ocean, including the waters of countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, China, and Japan

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats

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      Urbanisation & Infrastructure

    • An axe and a hexagonal grid with red dotsAn axe and a hexagonal grid with red dots

      Overexploitation of Biological Resources

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      Climate Change

    Cownose rays are threatened by fisheries. Their schooling habit makes them more vulnerable to fishing pressure, which is especially heavy in Southeast Asia. Some are directly fished as targets, while some are fished as bycatch.

    Conservation

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    IUCN Red List

    • Endangered

    Ocean Park's Conservation Efforts

    The Park conserves this endangered species through breeding and achieved the world's first successful artificial insemination of a cownose ray.

    Animal Breeding in Ocean Park

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    ACCREDITED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS & AQUARIUMSACCREDITED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS & AQUARIUMS
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    Ocean Park Corporation is a charitable institution registered with Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (File No: 91/2801).

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