Stingrays may appear to be soaring through the water, but a closer look reveals that they are actually moving through with a smooth flapping motion. The majority of species move by undulating their bodies, much like an aquatic wave, however, some prefer to flap their sides like wings. Stingrays in South Africa travelled at a speed of 1.35 kilometres per hour (0.83 miles per hour), and some species made migrations of up to 850 kilometres, according to research by the Save Our Seas Foundation (528 miles).