Ocean Park Hong Kong has successfully produced the world's first cownose ray pup through Artificial Insemination (AI). Born in April 2023 at The Grand Aquarium, the female pup – aptly named April – now resides alongside her fellow cownose ray companion in the shark and ray pool, open for public viewing.
Cownose rays, classified as endangered according to the IUCN Red List, are predominantly found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. These fascinating creatures give birth to a single offspring at a time and face challenges in natural mating due to their rough courtship behaviour. Stillborn births and embryo resorption are not uncommon in this species. Given the critical state of our oceans and the increasing threats to aquatic biodiversity, breeding programmes for elasmobranchs (a subclass of cartilaginous fish such as sharks and rays) hold immense importance.
The AI process involved collecting semen from male cownose rays, which was then carefully diluted and preserved at a specific temperature overnight. Inseminations were performed, and regular ultrasound examinations were conducted throughout the pregnancy without the need for sedation. After a gestation period of 61 weeks and two days (exceeding the typical range of 47 to 53 weeks), a female ray successfully gave birth to a healthy and lively pup on April 23, 2023. It was later confirmed that the birth was a result of artificial insemination and not from parthenogenesis. With this achievement, valuable data can be generated and collected; paving the way for future research in marine science and conservation – especially regarding sharks and rays reproduction.
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