By using years of sightings records alongside various biological and environmental data, it is possible to identify and compare the different elements correlated to each stingray species sightings.
The study
Routine dive logs from 2012 to 2018 were recorded, including various environmental, spatial and temporal variables and the presence/absence of four stingray species (Megatrygon microps, Taeniurops meyeni, Neotrygon indica and Pateobatis jenkinsii). By constructing heatmaps and generalised additive mixed models, we analysed the relationship between abundance of sightings of each species with the dive log variables.
One diving site in particular, located in the bay of Praia do Tofo, was identified as a key refuge for all stingrays year-round over many years
JA Keeping, 2019