How to stay safe near stingrays Rocky Point

 

Don’t panic if you spot a stingray swimming nearby this summer. Follow these pointers to stay out of trouble.

The oddly adorable stingray is misunderstood by many. Fear has been instilled in people since the tragic death of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin in 2006. But it is actually rare to die from a ray injury.

Stingrays are not aggressive. If threatened their first instinct is to swim away. They are curious and playful animals when there are divers and snorkelers around.

But as with all marine life, people must respect stingrays’ personal space. So take lots of photos and enjoy watching them gliding through the water from afar.

Never threaten or corner a ray and keep and eye out for their tail – and never touch the barb on the end of it.

Stingrays shuffle

Summertime beach walk on your mind? On your next stroll be careful of rays feeding and resting in warm shallow waters.

If you accidentally step on a ray, the frightened fish can flip up its tail and sting you with its barb.

So keep your eyes peeled or try the stingray shuffle. Place your feet firmly on the ground and slide your feet slowly through the sand, which will safely encourage any rays to move away.

Quick facts

• Stingrays have been around longer than dinosaurs.
• The mother gives birth to live young.
• The difference between male and females is their pelvic fins. Males have two elongated appendages known as claspers whereas females don’t have these.
• Stingrays can breathe while feeding thanks to spiracles – vestigial gill slits behind their eyes.
• Some rays swim by oscillating their body to move forward, while others flap their pectoral fins and appear to be flying underwater.
• Some rays have highly adapted eyes and can actually see color.
• Rays are slimy because they are covered in a mucous layer which helps protect them from disease and wound infection.
• When feeding and resting, Stingrays bury their bodies in the sand but leave the barb out to protect themselves from predators.
• Rays usually come in to feed with a rising tide and leave behind a circular footprint once they have finished. This is known as a feeding pit.