Bay of Rays

A Stingray Sandy Beach, Right Here in Arizona

Step into a tropical beach surrounded by palm trees, where stingrays swim across the white sand among other exciting creatures. Delight in the surprises hiding in each rock and crevasse in this exhibit, where you will find eels hiding, shark eggs attached to rocks, and interesting fish hiding from view. Plus, stop by our Coral Exhibit which houses real coral and clownfish!

This exhibit is so big, one of our Aquarists gets in every week to clean the hard to reach areas. By shuffling their feet, they let the stingrays know they’re there, so that none of them are surprised.

Did you know that stingrays hunt using electric signals? They have receptors in their skin called ampullae of lorenzini that allow them to detect movement in the water. Stingrays eat shellfish like clams and crabs, which they pull out of the sand using suction from their mouths. Because they don't use their barbs to hunt, the barbs are solely for self-defense. These normally gentle creatures can defend themselves if they feel threatened in the wild, but otherwise are hesitant to use their barbs.

WHOA - You Need to SEA This!

• This 3,000 gallon experience has 150 creatures in its habitat
• Can you spot all 20 species in this tropical beach paradise?
• SEA LIFE Arizona participates in coral reef restoration and rescue projects around the globe - see real live coral here and learn more about how to keep our oceans safe