Sandbar stingray population in decline

Caymanian Compass

July 23, 2012

Scientists have confirmed local anecdotal reports that the number of stingrays at the Sandbar are decreasing.

Brad Wetherbee from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Rhode Island, working in conjunction with the Guy Harvey Institute and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, has been carrying out censuses on the local stingray population since 2002. In his last check in 2008, he found more than 100 stingrays at the Sandbar at any given time, but on his most recent trip this year, he counted or tagged just 61.

The numbers he found during similar censuses in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008 showed consistent results, but when he returned to Grand Cayman in January this year, he was able to confirm that the reports of declining numbers 
were correct.

“In January this year, we went out ... to catch them and tag them. In previous years, we easily caught 100. This January, we caught 61,” said Mr. Wetherbee. This month, when he carried out another census, he found 57, he said. Read the whole story here.