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Cownose Ray

The cownose ray is named for the shape of its head, which when seen from above resembles a cow’s nose! 

 

Cownose rays are dark to golden brown on top with a white underbelly and triangular ‘wings’ that can span up to 1.1 meters (3.6 feet).  

This species is native to the Western Atlantic Ocean, being found from Massachusetts in the United States all the way down to Uruguay. They are known to travel in large groups and migrate long distances. Typically found on continental shelves, from the surface down to 60 meters (196 feet) though they prefer shallow, brackish waters.  

The cownose ray has flat, pavement-like teeth that are perfect for crushing and grinding mollusks and other hard-shelled prey. Using their wings, they fan the seafloor creating a suction that digs out buried clams and then pry up the mollusks with their mouths. While they primarily eat mollusks, shellfish, and other hard-shelled prey, some have been observed eating fish, octopus, and worms. But while cownose rays search for prey deeper in the water, they tend to swim close to the surface, which can reduce the risk of being stepped on by humans!  

 

 

The cownose ray has few natural predators, though some large coastal sharks are known to attack and eat this species. They are also sometimes accidentally caught by fishers targeting other species, also known as bycatch, or intentionally caught and harvested for their meat.  

In some areas, experts hypothesize that large populations of cownose rays have contributed to the decline of local shellfish populations, threatening fisheries that target those species. Specifically in the Chesapeake Bay area, this led to the creation of the ‘Save the Bay, Eat a Ray’ campaign which was heavily promoted for a period of time.  

 

 

Maryland in the United States has banned cownose ray hunting contests, and this moratorium also prevents competitions, or derbies aimed at catching or killing cownose rays for prizes or entertainment within state waters. However, other than some state-level protections, cownose rays receive no other protection across their range even though they are often caught as bycatch.  

You can help by learning more about Oceana’s campaigns to reduce bycatch and promote responsible fishing practices for more abundant oceans.  

 

 

 

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