Getting that annual checkup can seem intimidating to anyone. For a 140 pound eagle ray (Leopard Hymanture) living at the New England Aquarium in Boston, it’s a completely different animal. With the weight of an adult human with a wingspan of four feet three inches, simply moving the giant fish from its habitat to an examination tank is an exercise in teamwork.
“This process requires eight people on average, so we need to make sure we have adequate staff to perform these exams safely, both from an animal and human safety perspective,” says Dr. Kathy Tuxbury, senior veterinarian at the New England Aquarium. Popular science.
Vanessa Kahn
Leopard whip rays (also called leopard whip rays) have leopard-like spots and very long, thin tails that can measure two to four times their body length. These tails help them balance, navigate in the water and defend themselves against predators. Including the tail, these rays can measure 13 feet long and are found in the waters of Southeast Asia and northern Australia.
The New England Aquarium is home to two male leopard whiptail rays, one weighing 140 pounds and the other weighing 162 pounds. The smaller of the two has been there for 17 years and recently had his annual physical.
When checking for rays, aquarists focus on collecting fish from their exhibit and introducing them into the examination tank. Once the ray is anesthetized, an aquarist enters the water with the ray to ensure water flows over its gills and to hold the ray in position while being examined.
Vanessa Kahn
“The examination is then carried out by one of the New England Aquarium veterinarians, in the same way as most other animal species, taking a head-to-tail approach examining all aspects of the stingray,” explains Dr. Tuxbury. “The examination also includes performing an ultrasound and taking a blood sample for examination.”
The aquarium will perform at least one physical examination per year, plus other additional examinations as necessary. As for the recent examination of this male stingray, his weight, eyes, skin and oral health are normal. His heart, liver and gastrointestinal tract are also working as expected. The stingray began swimming around its exhibit and eating again only 30 minutes later. The two eagle rays eat 2.5 pounds of food every day.
Vanessa Kahn
You can say hello to the stingrays and wish them good health at the Shark and Ray Touch Tank.
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