Spotted Eagle Ray (Wild Republic by K&M International)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

The spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is one of the most distinctive and beautiful rays. It also adapts well to captivity, making it a frequent resident of public aquariums and zoos. I acquired this plush version at the Toronto Zoo back when they had a temporary exhibit of rays.

This eagle ray’s body measures 31 cm long and 47 cm wide, and its long, spindly tail giving it a total length of 64 cm. Most of the eagle rays I’ve seen in aquariums were around the size of a manhole cover, but they have been known to achieve a three metre wingspan and a weight of 230 kg (507 lbs), making them one of the bigger oceanic rays. The pectoral fins are flat and floppy, while the main part of the body is stuffed with batting and pellets to give it a stout appearance.

The ray is correctly coloured black on top and white on bottom, with plenty of white splotches and rings adorning its back. The small round eyes are made of black plastic and there are visible black gills and an upturned mouth slit that makes it look like this individual is smiling. The gill slits number ten in total, just like on the real animal. A single stinger is featured near the base of the tail. A real eagle ray has anywhere from two to six stingers, but I believe we can forgive that omission.

Aside from its telltale colour scheme, this toy is also immediately recognizable as an eagle ray thanks to its pointed snout, triangular pectoral fins, and prominent pelvic fins at the rear. Spotted eagle rays feed mainly on small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, which they crush with powerful jaws. Their main enemies are sharks. Although they generally pose no threat to humans, there have been several incidents where leaping rays have accidentally landed on boats and injured people. There was even a fatal such collision in 2008.

Overall, the Wild Republic spotted eagle ray is an unusual and attractive plush marine toy for your child or yourself.