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August 12, 2026
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See hundreds of stingrays swarming disconnected nan seashore of New York
A “fever” of cownose rays revealed by striking drone footage could beryllium a motion of warming oceans
By Sanidhya Sharma edited by Claire Cameron
Joanna Steidle
Joanna Steidle
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Incredible caller video footage reveals a convoy of hundreds of stingrays—a grouping that marine biologists telephone a “fever”—off nan seashore of Southampton, N.Y. In nan videos, changeable by drone by Joanna Steidle, nan creatures tin beryllium seen gliding conscionable beneath nan water’s aboveground for illustration hundreds of raviolis floating successful aquamarine broth.
These are cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus). The food are truthful named for their unsocial snout, which resembles a cow’s nose, and they tin turn up to 3 to 4 feet across. These rays are migratory: each summertime they recreation up nan Atlantic seashore from Florida, pursuing nan warming water. They for illustration temperatures of astir 21 to 26 degrees Celsius (about 70 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit). The rays provender connected clams, oysters and crustaceans that they crunch up successful their wide jaws; they are besides equipped pinch a mildly venomous barb connected their tail that they usage successful self-defense.
With water temperatures rising astatine unprecedented rates, warmer bluish coastal waters whitethorn beryllium enabling nan rays to get successful these waters earlier and to enactment longer. Speaking to nan Guardian, Florida State University marine biologist Dean Grubbs noted that ample fevers of cownose rays historically only went arsenic acold arsenic nan Chesapeake Bay, pinch conscionable a fewer individuals observed farther north.
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And nan rays are not a uncommon show successful waters disconnected New York State: they person been documented location since astatine slightest nan 1800s. Drones are making it easier to spot these earthy phenomena, offering america these unthinkable views of nan ocean.
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