Are stingrays actually dangerous? Three reasons you shouldn't fear these sea pancakes
To beat the summer heat, many of us in the Southern Hemisphere are hitting the beach—and this raises our chances of encountering potentially dangerous marine life beneath the waves.
So should we be worried about stingrays? You might still think so, even if it's been 16 years since the death of wildlife icon Steve Irwin.
Irwin wrangled some of the world's most dangerous animals, from crocodiles to venomous snakes, yet it was a stingray that tragically took his life. When I tell others I study stingrays, they usually respond with shock, followed by a quick reminder about this. In fact, I am surprised when an Australian doesn't mention it.
Despite their reputation as being dangerous, stingray-caused deaths are actually rare. Accidental injuries do happen, but understanding how and why "barbings" occur could help prevent them and help beachgoers overcome the stingray stigma.
The stingray stigma
The existence of a "stingray stigma" became obvious to me after I recently posted an Instagram reel demonstrating the proper technique for picking up a stingray. Despite the fact I'm well trained in this procedure, multiple commenters were flabbergasted I would attempt something so dangerous.
A few more suggested I should fling the stingray out of my hands to avenge Steve Irwin. We can assume these comments are jokes, but weeks after his death news reports showed Irwin fans may have sought retribution when a handful of stingrays on Queensland's beaches were found with their tails cut off.