There is nothing like the experience of standing in crystal blue waters with giant floating saucers swimming only inches from your bare feet. And it can be a bit intimidating the first time you see several of these darkly colored creatures bearing down on you. No need to be scared—they simply know what the people in this area represent: free food. And who doesn’t like free food?

The rays’ favorite is succulent squid, and boat operators make sure their patrons have plenty to hold in the palms of their hands. With eyes on top of their bodies and mouths tucked below their bellies, stingrays can’t see where food is, but their powerful sense of smell locates it like a finely tuned radar.

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