Marine life profile
Sting ray
Recorded at 9 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Sting ray around the world
Stingrays are a group of rays, a type of cartilaginous fish. It appears to fly underwater, cruising over sand or reef before settling where camouflage makes it easy to miss.
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Look for a flattened body with wing-like fins, eyes on top and a long tail trailing behind.
How It Behaves
It appears to fly underwater, cruising over sand or reef before settling where camouflage makes it easy to miss.
Special Ability
Its broad fins turn slow-looking movements into remarkably efficient underwater flight.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Approach from the side, remain above the bottom and leave a clear path ahead. Never corner or follow closely.
Safety
Do not touch, stand on or crowd a resting ray. Give the tail room and shuffle carefully in shallow sandy water.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
There are about 220 known stingray species organized into 29 genera.
Where to Find
Search sandy flats, cleaning stations, reef passes and current-swept channels, especially around feeding or cleaning time.
Known countries
Sightings map
Sting ray locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
Blairgowrie Pier
Australia
Blairgowrie Pier is a fantastic site for photographers, due to the abundant macro life. It's also a popular training site, due to its sheltered position and manageable depth range (2-7m). The pier pylons and sea wall are heavily encrusted with sponges - home to many Seahorses and Nudibranchs - even the odd Tasselled Anglerfish. Ledges and hidey holes make great homes for numerous species of Rays, as well as Octopus, Squid and Giant Cuttlefish. You can also see Stargazers, Flathead, Decorator Crabs, Goatfish and many others. Blairgowrie Pier often hosts the annual Giant Spider Crab march in May-June each year. Thousands of crabs gather in the shallow waters to moult.
Escambron Marine Park (La poza del Escambron)
Puerto Rico
A shallow dive site with quick and easy access. If staying in the San Juan Area makes for a perfect refresher or beginner location because of the wave breaker which allows for diving all year round.
Hilma Hooker
Caribbean Netherlands
You will find the wreck of the Hilma in the South. Three moorings mark the wreck, one on the bow on the stern and one shallower on the reef itself. The Hilma Hooker was sunk in 1984 and she lays perfectly on her side just of the reef on the sandy bottom. The wreck is about 72 meters in length so lots to explore here. Check underneath the masts for spiny lobsters. Also check out the cargo holds, the airshafts and the wheelhouse. Large numbers of tarpons and barracudas like to hang out around the wreck, both during the days and at night. Penetration of the wreck with a trained local guide only. But just exploring the outside of the wreck makes already for a great dive. Specially in combination with the reef where you will find some surprising stuff, even the occasional frogfish is hiding here. Dive site for experienced divers. Enriched air highly recommended, so you can enjoy more of the shipwreck at depth. Shallow reef makes an excellent safety stop.
Mahurangi Island
New Zealand
Mahurangi Island lies on the edge of Coromandel's Te-Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve and is home to an abundance of fish species.
Canyon
Cyprus
Situated under the cliffs on the south side of Cape Greko (close to the Tunnels and Caves Dive Site) is Canyon. The entry point is first accessed by a bit of off-road driving and then a long challenging walk down some cliffs followed by two vertical ladder to the waters edge. A good level of fitness and strength is required. That being said the challenging entry is worth it, with experienced divers being rewarded with a series of dramatic rock formations – such as steep walls, boulders and swim throughs. The marine life is less abundant here than at other sites, but divers will still spot damselfish, grouper, moray eels, octopi and stingrays, with most seen above 20 metres, enchanting all level of diver.
Gordon's Bay
Australia
Gordon's Bay is renowned for its accessibility and year-round appeal for divers and snorkelers. The calm conditions and a maximum depth of 14 meters make it a popular spot for all levels of divers. Gordon's Bay is famous for the underwater nature trail, a 600-meter path marked by a chain that guides you through the site. The trail leads to "The Wall," which is home to many Port Jackson sharks and Wobbegong sharks. Along the nature trail, divers also commonly encounter the famous Blue Groper, a local legend and a favorite among divers. Photos by Aquatic Imaging Australia.
Kandooma Thila
Maldives
Kandooma Thila, or also called Cocoa Thila, is one of the most exciting dives in South Male’ Atoll with great scenery as well as prolific fish life. The west and north side are the most spectacular, with the top at 16m. These are a focal point for schools of Bluefin Trevallies, eagle rays, dogtooth tunas and loose groups of gray reef sharks (50+ in the right current). Cleaning station for grey reef , you can see them going in a vertical position while small wrasses are cleaning them. Currents can be very strong making it a challenging dive. For experienced divers only.
Rye Pier
Australia
Rye Pier is one of Melbourne's best know and most-loved shore dive sites and is a great day or night dive. It consists of an L-shaped pier roughly 500m in length, under which lives a whole lot of exciting marine life. Depth ranges from 2 - 6m. Growth has encrusted the pylons, so there's plenty to see. Rye Pier is the easiest place to see Seahorses in the world! Common sightings here include octopus (Sand, Blue Ringed, Maori and Keel, among others), cuttlefish, giant smoothrays, seahorses, leatherjackets, calamari, dumpling squid, goatfish, as well as Giant Spider Crabs in their thousands and large schools of salmon and pike in the right season.
Wall of wonder
India
At dive site wall of wonder start from 7mtr depth, it help to explore the real marine life and small caven