Your contribution will help understand the lives of the smalleye stingray, for both individuals and the population as a whole. When we understand them, we can protect them.
What area do we need?
Directly above the ray, looking down on to it’s white spots.
What settings are best for my camera?
We recommend a wide-angle lens with a burst setting (and turn off the flash if there’s excess particle in the water), so you can maximise the chance to get this shot…
What does a good and a bad ID shot look like?
How is best to approach the ray?
Quietly! Wait until you know the stingray is hovering, or will pass underneath you. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to chase after the ray, and it is also not acceptable to purposefully alter it’s travel direction.
Dive skills come first, then photography skills, then ID shots. Know your abilities.
How can you tell the sex?
Another photo of under the ray is ideal, however if that’s not possible, but you do manage to see it’s nether-regions, then you can tell males as they have claspers on their pelvic fins, just like sharks. Absence of claspers and you have a female stingray.
What other information is useful?
It’s behaviour, such as cleaning, cruising, feeding, mating, socialising. Whether it has an entourage of ray-mates and cobias flanking it. Also visually, if it has scars (fresh or old, big or small), tail partially or fully missing… Anything you can think of is useful.
What if I just can’t get the ID shot?
Then don’t. This is an extremely long-term study and it cannot be rushed. If we go chasing animals, they may never come back. This concern is elevated in animals with unknown and worrisome vulnerability statuses, just like our smalleye stingray friends.
What happens afterwards?
After you’ve finished your dive, edited your photos and kindly uploaded them, then we will keep you informed (via the email address you supply) of the shenanigans of your ray, like if it is re-sighted. You may also give your smalleye a nickname if it is a new individual!