Tropicana Field welcomes cownose stingrays in new touch experience

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays touch experience is the first of its kind at a professional sports venue. The 35-foot, 10,000-gallon exhibit is located near the right-center field fence at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.  

The unique educational experience has been created through a partnership with the Florida Aquarium. 

This unique and educational experience has been created through a partnership with the Florida Aquarium. A team of biologists from the aquarium stop by Tropicana Field every day to take care of the 11 cownose stingrays that serve as an ambassador species to the Rays. 

"They are a great ambassador animal because they're so common here in our area, and they are also great for touch interactions as well as an educational component, so it's great to teach all of the visitors and all of the fans here a little bit about what's right here in Tampa Bay and to learn a little something while they enjoy a baseball game as well," Brett Durda, a senior biologist with Florida Aquarium, said.

The biologists that visit daily hand-feed the rays six to seven pounds of different types of food throughout the day. They use a specialized target to make sure each ray is getting the proper amount of food and that also gives them an opportunity to do wellness checks on all the Rays to make sure they are in good condition and have no injuries as well.