Pictured: Huge 400-pound stingray caught near New York

Gemma Brown
Wed, 4 October 2023

The 400-pound stingray was caught and released by a survey crew in the Long Island Sound

A massive 400-pound stingray caught near New York shows the effects of global warming of oceans, experts say.

The huge fish, measuring over six feet long and five feet wide, was discovered by a survey crew in the unusual location of the Long Island Sound - a tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.

Roughtail stingrays are hardly ever spotted in the area, typically being found from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico.

David Molnar, a marine biologist at CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), described it as an ‘incredible catch’.

‘This species has slowly expanded its home range over the past two decades, primarily due to the effects of global warming of oceans and sound fisheries management,’ he said.

The survey crew from Connecticut Fish and Wildlife kept the stingray lying on its back so it would be easier to release back into the ocean.

The organisation said: ‘‘Rather than attempt to roll the animal over, our crew quickly took some measurements and immediately returned the ray to the water to watch it swim away alive and well.’

Stingrays have a venomous spine in their tail containing sharp blades, but they are not aggressive and only attack humans when provoked.