BOSTON (WHDH) - Four blue-spotted maskrays were recently born at the New England Aquarium for the first time in years.
The ray pups, which have a striking appearance with distinctive mask-like shading around their eyes and iridescent blue spots on their fins, were welcomed in January, the aquarium announced Thursday.
The aquarium says the pups started off shy, often burrowing in the sand for much of the day, but they have become more active in recent weeks as they remain behind the scenes in conditions that mimic the wild. They will be moved to a touch tank after about 12 to 18 months.
“These pups learn to adapt to their environment quickly. In the wild, they have to be able to swim, bury themselves, and evade predators from the very beginning of their lives,” said Sarah Tempesta, supervisor of interactive exhibits.
Video courtesy of New England Aquarium
The pups are a result of the aquarium’s blue-spotted maskray rearing program, which launched in 2014.
They are the first of their kind to be born at the aquarium since 2017.
Because the pups require a lot of food, the aquarium says they are fed several meals a day that consist of shrimp, clams, squid, and fish.
Once the pups are fully grown, the two females will reside in the aquarium’s Trust Family Foundation shark and ray touch tank, while the two males will go to another aquarium.
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