Water World
Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong
Join our hands to conserve nature!

Cownose Ray

Cownose Ray
Scientific Name
Rhinoptera javanica
Other Common Name(s)
Javanese Cownose Ray, Javanese Cow Ray, Flapnose Ray, Flapray
Body Length

Fin width up to 1.5 m

Body Weight

Up to 4.5 kg

Distribution
Indo-West Pacific waters, including South Africa, Indonesia and Japan.
Fun Facts

Fun Facts

  • Schooling behaviour is observed in cownose rays, which form large groups of up to 500 members.

  • Cownose rays feed on crustaceans and bivalves such as clams and oysters. They use their rows of dental plates to crush open the shells.

Threats & Conservation

IUCN Red List: Endangered
IUCN Red List: Endangered

Cownose rays are threatened by fisheries. Their schooling habit makes them more vulnerable to fishing pressure, which is especially heavy in southeast Asia. Some are directly fished as targets, while some are fished as bycatch.

Do not eat cownose rays and other threatened fishes!

Come and See Our Animals and Plants