Marine life surrounding the Dominican Republic - Southern Stingrays






by nasubineko



by Scubaben





Southern stingrays have large, flat, diamond-shaped disks without distinct heads. Their dark-brown upper bodies and white or whitish underbellies are ideal camouflage for animals that spend their days well buried in sand. From above, only their eyes and huge spiracles (often mistaken for eyes) are visible.

At night, stingrays slowly graze over the sandy seafloor. Since their eyes are on top of their bodies, they depend on electro-receptors and keen senses of smell and touch to find food. To uncover buried prey, stingrays force jet streams of water through their mouths or flop their fins over the sand. If they find a clam, the rays’ stubby teeth are strong enough to easily crush the shells. Then they spit out the fragments.

Marine life surrounding the Dominican Republic - Caribbean Reef Shark


by Thespis377


By audslee


By altsaint



The Caribbean Reef Shark is no stranger to divers of the Caribbean region. It is one of the most abundant large sharks in the area, especially on outer parts of coral reefs. Prefers to live close to the bottom (bottom-dwelling) on the continental and insular shelves, down to at least 30 m. Caribbean reef sharks are often found near dropoffs on the outer reef edges. They often lay motionless in caverns. Despite the abundance its biology is poorly known.

Yumnik3,

I have just chanced upon your thread and fabulous photographs. Thank you for posting them.
It makes me wonder what this island was like before human habitation.

The preservation of what remains is very important, and a major challenge, given such a large population on such a small island, and the disinterest most of most Dominicans in the natural environment.

Why do you think it is?

@RoyStone
One advantage is that 33% of the island lives in the same city. And if you add the population of other coastal cities like Sosua, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata this number gets even higher. So this kind off localizes the decay of the land.

I totally agree with you with regard to preservation of the natural environment. Yet I don't think Dominicans have a general disintrest in nature. I think they do not see the long term effects of what they are doing. I just hope they catch on sooner then later.

@Yumnuk, please keep posting pictures like this. I've said it a million times, but they do generally make me happy.

Funny things happen when people realize board based modernization and development-a higher standard of living: broad support and enthusiasm for preservation of natural habitat.

Humans have long effected the landscapes in which they live, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Being earth friendly is essential. I believe in the commandments of the Native Americans since I have lost complete respect for the governments and the people for abusing the only world we have. Man belongs to the Earth, Earth does not belong to man.

Now, as far as the disinterest of many Dominicans, I can proudly inform you that our own civilian population single-handedly stopped the advancement of the coal-fired cement plant in Los Haitises National Park, which is one of the primary freshwater reserves on the island, and its estimated that its importance will grow as a tactical reserve because of its numerous underground currents. So we must give some credit where credit is due, but I do feel we need to have more environmental awareness as a nation.

P.S. I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support. Glad you're all enjoying the pics and info.

Isn't this a sea cow in the common's mouth? That is actually where the mermaid myth came from. Drunk sailors in the Carribean seeing Matanee's and thinking they are women. Life is weird like that.

I can't believe a coal-fired cement plant was on the cards for inside Los Haitises National Park. Apart from the environmental issue, it doesn't make logistical sense either.

Certainly the Amerindian idea that man belongs to the earth is superior to the Christian idea that that God put everything on this planet for man's consumption, use or entertainment.

I have never seen a mermaid but I have seen a number of women with a striking resemblance to Manatees.

Manatees are close relatives of Dugong (both being the same order Sirenia). Dugong meat and oil have traditionally been some of the most valuable foods of Australian aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Some Aborigines regard Dugongs as part of their Aboriginality. As an endangered specie, Dugong are protected by Australian law, with severe penalties for hunting and killing them. However Aborigines (anyone with 1/16 or more Aboriginal blood) are exempt due to the importance of hunting and killing Dugung in their sacred culture.

The do so in aluminum boats with outboard-motors and use powered harpoon-guns.

You have to binge drink or experiment with dung mushrooms to see a Matanee and think its a women.