Spotted Eagle Ray

Hello. I am a Spotted Eagle Ray, and I live in the big, blue ocean. My back is dark and looks just like a starry night sky because it is covered in lots of white spots. My tummy is a bright, clean white. I am a fish, but I do not swim like other fish. I fly through the water. I use my big fins, which look just like wings, to soar through the sea. It feels like I am flying under the waves.

My favorite things to do are flying through the water and eating yummy snacks. I love to glide with my friends, who are also spotted eagle rays. We swim together in a group. When I get hungry, I look for food hidden in the sand on the ocean floor. I love to eat crunchy clams and wiggly shrimp. To get my food, I use my special mouth. It is flat and super strong. This helps me crunch open their hard shells to get to the yummy snack inside. CRUNCH. It is so tasty.

I have a very important job in my ocean home. When I look for my food, I dig in the sand with my mouth. As I dig, I stir up all the sand. Their digging behavior may contribute to nutrient cycling and sediment aeration, potentially benefiting the ecosystem. Their digging behavior may benefit certain benthic organisms by enhancing nutrient cycling. I love being a beautiful, spotted swimmer. It feels good to be a helpful part of our wonderful ocean world, and Spotted Eagle Rays are still present and may contribute to ecosystem health, but they are currently classified as "Endangered."