TAMPA, Fla. — ZooTampa is opening their stingray exhibit, Stingray Shores, for visitor experiences.
It’s one other approach the zoo is attempting to attach folks with the wild, taking a step into the 76-degree water habitat.
That’s proper — in it.
ZooTampa’s Kayla Cary is likely one of the zoo professionals main the way in which on this hour-long expertise.
It begins with instructional parts and preparations for assembly rays within the habitat.
“So while you are in the waters, they may come all around you and even straight up to you. It’s completely ok. They are very curious animals,” mentioned Cary. “It’s ok and we are entering their space.”
Cary’s been working of their house for 2 years.
“A lot people have misconceptions about stingrays,” she defined.
And at ZooTampa, she mentioned, it’s even safer than the wild.
They trim every ray’s barb. Rays have their very own tendencies. They’re meals motivated. And their mouth looks like little vacuum cleaners.
As a result of rays typically burrow within the sand on Tampa Bay’s seashores, Cary reveals the stingray shuffle, shuffling her toes to maneuver ahead by means of the sand.
“By doing this movement, this will alert the stingray we are coming near them and allow them to move,” mentioned Cary. “They can sense vibrations in the sand.”
Transferring folks from concern to understanding of the wild kingdom is a part of ZooTampa’s mission.
It’s all to vary perceptions and assist defend the way forward for these animals and their setting.
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