Pateobatis jenkinsii
Silhouette: A. R. McCulloch (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The Jenkins' whipray (Pateobatis jenkinsii) is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, with a wide distribution in the Indo-Pacific region from South Africa to the Malay Archipelago to northern Australia. This large species grows to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) across and has a broad, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a whip-like tail without fin folds. It has a band of heart-shaped dermal denticles running from between the eyes to the tail on its upper surface, along with a characteristic row of large spear-like thorns along the midline. It is uniform yellowish brown above, becoming grayish on the tail past the stinging spine, and white below; there is apparently a spotted color variant that had previously been described as a different species, the dragon stingray (H. draco).
Preying mainly on small bony fishes and crustaceans, the Jenkins' whipray is commonly found in inshore, sandy or silty habitats shallower than 50 m (160 ft). It is aplacental viviparous, with the females nourishing their developing young with histotroph ("uterine milk"). This species is regularly caught by coastal fisheries across much of its range, particularly in the Arafura Sea; its skin is highly valued for the large thorns, while the meat and cartilage may also be marketed. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Jenkins' whipray under Vulnerable, noting that it faces minimal conservation threats off northern Australia, which encompasses a large portion of its range. However, there is intense fishing pressure in Southeast Asia and has led to significant population declines there. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengaluru Aquarium | 🇮🇳 India |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Dragon stingray sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 24 sharks and rays we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Dragon stingray in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, against under 5% in May, the lowest month. That is one of Ningaloo Marine Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 50 mm in June.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dragon stingray sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Ningaloo Marine Park, in our data
Ningaloo Marine Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Dragon stingray sightings: about 30% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Dasyatidae
The closest relatives of the Dragon stingray that you can see in Ningaloo Marine Park (family Dasyatidae, Whiptail Stingrays) are Reef ray (about 70%), Broad Cowtail Stingray (about 50%) and Australian Bluespotted Maskray (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Dragon stingray is recorded against all the sharks and rays logged in Ningaloo Marine Park (19 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
