Stingray Bay has arrived at the Kansas City Zoo and should be at the top of your summer bucket list!
Located next to the Helzberg Penguin Plaza, the exhibit (included in your zoo admission) features a 20,000 gallon touch tank. Zoo guests will first be asked to rinse their arms up to the elbow. The stingrays (who travel in groups called a fever) are friendly and guests are free to dip their arms into the water to feel the animals’ unique texture and shape.
Cownose rays have a unique feature—long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads. A crease in the lobes and a notched head create a cow-nose likeness that gives these rays their name. Southern stingrays, however, have large, flat, diamond-shaped disks without distinct heads.
White-spotted bamboo sharks are also featured in the tank, the smallest species of shark.
Check out the KCMB team’s sneak peek at the exhibit and how the rays are fed in this video.
Also new at the Zoo this year is the Variety KC Exploration Play near the Africa exhibit. This first of its kind zoo playground includes zip lines, swings and other nature features that cater to children with special needs so all children can play together in one space. A quiet zone allows time for a sensory break while watching giraffes and zebras.
The sidewalks are wider and paved to make them more wheelchair and stroller friendly.
We’re excited about all the new features at the Zoo as well as our usual favorites. Don’t forget a zoo membership helps you make the most of the zoo. Plus, free and discounted admission at other zoos around the country!
