ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seven cownose stingrays made it safely to a habitat at The Florida Aquarium after riding out Hurricane Milton in a touch tank at Tropicana Field, home of MLB's Tampa Bay Rays.
The stingrays, named for their cow-shaped snouts, were relocated Monday from the ballpark after last week’s storm, the Tampa-based aquarium said in a news release. Although Tropicana Field’s fabric roof was shredded by Milton's winds, the stingrays were unharmed.
“We’re pleased to report the cownose stingrays handled the storm well. With the Tampa Bay Rays' support, our staff was able to provide onsite care over the past several days and today, we brought them safely back to the Aquarium,” said Craig Johnson, The Florida Aquarium’s associate curator.
The stingrays spend the MLB season in Tropicana Field's 10,000-gallon (37,800-liter) touch tank, a popular fan attraction located above right-center field. They are now in their own exhibition space at the Florida Aquarium during baseball's offseason, and when the team is out of the playoffs.
Stingrays from the aquarium have been featured in the St. Petersburg ballpark's touch tank since 2006. The cownose stingray species is common in the waters around Tampa Bay.
The baseball Rays aren’t scheduled to play in the ballpark again until March 27, when they are supposed to play host to the Colorado Rockies in the 2025 season opener. The team says it will take several weeks to assess the storm damage and determine next steps.
The roof was designed to withstand winds of up to 115 mph (185 kph), according to the Rays. The stadium opened in 1990 at an initial cost of $138 million and is due to be replaced in time for the 2028 season with a $1.3 billion ballpark that is a linchpin of a major redevelopment project in downtown St. Petersburg.
The Florida Aquarium was not damaged during Milton, officials said. Staff relocated penguins and other animals to higher floors, transferred a rescued sea turtle from an Apollo Beach location to the Tampa aquarium and moved thousands of corals to safer places.
Curt Anderson, The Associated Press
