Bluespotted maskrays born at Aquarium now on exhibit

Pups part of New England Aquarium’s animal conservation work

BOSTON, MASS. (Aug. 31, 2021) – Two bluespotted maskray pups born at the New England Aquarium earlier this year are temporarily on exhibit for visitors to see.

**PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF THE MASKRAYS HERE, COURTESY OF NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM**

The pups were born to a female maskray at the Aquarium in January. The species, native to the Indo-Pacific, has an eye-catching appearance, with distinctive mask-like shading around their eyes and iridescent blue spots on their fins. These pups will be on exhibit on the first floor of the Aquarium, next to the Indo-Pacific Coral Reef, through the end of the year.

The pups are a result of the Aquarium’s bluespotted maskray rearing program, which launched in 2014. The program is part of the Aquarium’s conservation work to safeguard ocean animals and habitats, providing a sustainable way to repopulate exhibits without disturbing wild populations. Aquarists rear the pups for 12-18 months, providing special attention to ensure each ray is growing at just the right rate before they are ready to rejoin the adult rays in the Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank.

Through Labor Day, the New England Aquarium’s summer hours will be Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guests are encouraged to plan ahead for their visit with timed tickets available online. All guests over the age of 2 are required to wear face coverings. More information can be found at neaq.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Pam Bechtold Snyder – psnyder@neaq.org, 617-686-5068