Stingray Surveys
In partnership with the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU Florida and the Caymans Islands Department of the Environment, the Guy Harvey Foundation has conducted bi-annual surveys of the stingray population at Stingray City and Sandbar in the Cayman Islands. This unique aggregation of wild stingrays provides a unique opportunity for the public to interact with wild stingrays in clear, shallow water and is a major economic driver for the Cayman Islands economy. The survey counts the number of rays at the site, measures the growth rate of individual rays, and monitors for pregnancy among female rays.
22 Years
The Stingray Survey is the world’s longest running study of a Wildlife Interactive Zone
110
The most rays analyzed in a single survey
$500,000 per YEar
The value of a single stingray to the Cayman Islands economy
Impact
Surveying the stingray aggregation twice per year helps monitor fluctuations in the population and the overall health of the animals.
Rays tagged in the survey have been found in captivity, which helped identify illegal poaching from the aggregation.
Stingrays, skates, and sharks are fully protected in the waters of the Cayman Islands
Location: Stingray City, Grand Cayman
Partners: Stingray City SUrveys
