PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plett Shark Spotters have had an interesting summer, viewing large fevers of spectacular duckbill stingrays gliding gracefully along Plett's shallow, sandy banks.

According to researchers from the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, they are uncovering fascinating insights into these elusive creatures.

Using acoustic transmitters, they've tracked duckbill stingrays travelling an astonishing 850km - seven times further than previously recorded!

Stingray nursery

These rays are known for their longshore movements, sometimes covering around 42km in a single day, interspersed with extended stays of up to 164 days in sheltered coastal embayments.

Interestingly, Dr Chantel Elston's research in the Keurbooms Estuary (presented at the Plett Ocean Festival in 2023) indicates that the estuary is the first stingray nursery to be discovered in South Africa, with juvenile rays no bigger than your hand to be sighted in the shallows of the lagoon.

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