- Courtesy of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
Oregon to the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez)
- Amazing Facts
While not aggressive, bat rays can inflict a painful wound with their venomous spine. When entering waters where there may be rays, swimmers are advised to shuffle their feet through the sand, movements which cause buried rays to move away. The walk-in-the-water is called a “ray shuffle”.
- At the Aquarium
These rays live in the Aquarium's Blue Cavern and Ray Touch Pool. The Touch Pool rays get periodic “manicures.” Aquarists clip their spines not with manicure scissors, but with wire cutters. The spines are made of keratin, the same substance as human fingernails.