Aquatic Zoos - Captive Animals Protection Society

Figure 71. Examples of lacerations (the white patches on the rays’ wings) found on rays that are in physical contact with visitors
in UK public aquaria. The two images below belong to the same ray in one public aquarium in which members of the staff
confirmed the laceration was caused by visitors touching the ray.
In 55% of the UK public aquaria that keep rays, lacerations were found in them, and the only public
aquarium where the majority (67%, n=12) of its visible Raja rays (the common British rays) showed
lacerations was in fact one of the public aquaria that authorises physical contact.
If, at it appears, there are plenty of reasons and evidence for sharks and rays not be touched by visitors,
why in 16% of UK public aquaria is such contact not only authorised, but encouraged? In one of these
public aquaria the contact goes as far as members of staff literally lifting up rays and sharks at the very
edge of the water and passing them around so all surrounding visitors can have a feel. In such aquarium
the rays are even pressed against the glass so visitors can have a better view of their ventral body
features. All this with obvious signs of the rays involved not being happy with the whole process (figure
72) –although probably the aquarium staff would not accept that the continuous tail wagging and wing
flapping mean anything.
Figure 72. Extreme of authorised ray touching in one UK public aquarium, in which rays are held and passed around to be
touched (left), and even pressed against the tank walls to show visitors their mouths (right).
115