A rare electric ray has given birth to 16 babies at a sealife centre.
Published: 8:00AM GMT 09 Jan 2010
It is believed to be the first time the marbled electric ray - which can give a shock almost as strong as mains power - has given birth in captivity in Britain.
The baby rays are in good health and feeding happily on slivers of squid in a nursery tank at Brighton Sealife Centre in Brighton, East Sussex.
The mother was delivered to the centre in September by a local fisherman who was surprised to find the ray among his catch.
Marbled electric rays, or Torpedo marmorata, are usually found in the Mediterranean.
Curator Alex Gerrard said: "She settled in well, but started to go off her food mid-way through December.
"We were worried she might be ill but realise now it was because she was ready to go into labour."
The mum is the size of a large dinner plate and her babies are each as big as the bottom of a coffee cup.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6953481/Electric-ray-gives-birth-to-16-babies.html
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