Reina will share the 400,000-gallon H-E-B Caribbean Sea exhibit with a variety of other species, including other stingray species like cownose and southern rays as well as porcupinefish and sandbar sharks.
The eagle ray currently weighs about 30 pounds and boasts a four-foot wingspan, and Aquarium staff say she could grow much larger – spotted eagle rays can sometimes grow to a wingspan of 11 feet and 400 pounds.
Reina has been trained by Aquarium staff to both hand feed and to “target feed,” where she grabs her food off a pole at a certain signal. Several times a day, the eagle ray receives an auditory stimulus, or unique noise, to let her know when her food is ready. She then approaches a red-striped target, where she’s given razor clams, shrimp, squid, capelin, herring or sardines directly from Animal Care staff. Her caretakers say she’s very smart and has quickly acclimated to this new feeding process.
