A little ray of hope (From Dorset Echo)

A little ray of hope

12:00pm Friday 6th October 2006 in

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A RARE baby ray born after his mother was caught in a fishing net is on display at Weymouth's Sea Life Park.

Weymouth fisherman Trevor Brooker realised he had caught an electric ray when a 220-volt blast sent him reeling across the deck of his boat.

He carefully took the rare marbled ray to local marine expert David Copp.

Mr Copp put the ray in a tank and left her to recover from her ordeal. He said: "I had an idea that she might be pregnant judging by the size of her. When I came back in the morning she had given birth to nine babies. I think they were probably two or three months premature and they still had their yolk sacks attached. Only one of them was alive."

The mother electric ray was returned to the sea and Mr Copp continued to rear the one remaining baby.

He said: "I could not put it with other fish so I kept it on its own and it fed off its yolk for one month. Then I put it in a tank with shrimps and small crustaceans and it began to feed."

It was about a month before Mr Copp actually saw the ray, now named Sparky, electrocute his prey.

Mr Copp said: "You don't actually see a little flash or lightning bold or anything. He arches up his back wings and it's obvious when he has fired because his target jerks violently then goes limp, either dead or stunned.

"I am very proud that I managed to rear such a rare creature."

Sparky is now in the care of biologists at Weymouth Sea Life Centre.

Sea Life Park curator Robin James said: "At the moment Sparky is slightly smaller than the size of your palm but he will grow to be about 1ft across. He is very cute.

"Electric rays are dangerous if you pick them up but they don't usually come close to the shore."

He said that there are not many electric rays in captivity because they are difficult to rear and look after.

The marbled electric ray torpedo marmorata has two kidney- shaped organs made up of special fibres which act as electric cells and it is these t hat emit a powerful electric shock.