Another Sting Ray incident

[schwaja3]

Here is the link to the latest Sting Ray Incident: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061019/ap_on_fe_st/stingray_stabbing_4

This being the 2nd one in the last few months, does it make anyone else a bit nervous about doing the stingray excursion? I'm not canceling, but I'm not 100% at ease either.

I just wonder, am I the only one who feels this way?

Jack

 

[mommasita]

I agree with you. That incident seems even more bizarre than Steve's to me, as this man was not IN the water. So, he was not disturbing their habitat..

Prayers for him, and his family.

 

[peekab0082]

aren't the stiners on the stingrays removed from the stingrays on the excursions???

 

[dcassetta]

Stingrays are docile, but will react if they feel threatened. In this situation, the stingray had jumped into the man's boat. Fish jumping out of the water and landing in small boats happens pretty regularly here in Florida. Obviously this would cause the fish to be in great distress. The man grasped the ray to his body trying to put it back in the water. A ray's first reaction to danger is to swim away, its second is to use its barb. As it couldn't swim, it used its tail. The man, unfortunately was holding the fish too close. If you are swimming with rays, something I have done all my life, you just have to remember not to grab them. If they can freely swim away, they will do that before using their barbs. So, go on the excursion and don't worry.

 

[dcassetta]

aren't the stiners on the stingrays removed from the stingrays on the excursions???

I certainly hope not, as that would be painful for the rays and take away one of their defense mechanisms.

 

[peekab0082]

I certainly hope not, as that would be painful for the rays and take away one of their defense mechanisms.

The stingray excursions are out in the ocean right? They aren't like in an enclosed area that you swim w/ them in?

 

[Jeanne B]

I certainly hope not, as that would be painful for the rays and take away one of their defense mechanisms.

I'm pretty certain the stingrays at CC have their barbs removed.

 

[LCTsMom]

The stingray excursion on Castaway Cay is in an enclosed area.

The stingrays barbs are cut back, it's similar to clipping the nails of an animal. The barb grows back but they closely monitor the length and trim them back when necessary.

The excursion at CC was awesome! You won't be in any danger if you decide to go. We heard about Steve Irwin's death while aboard the Wonder and participated in the excursion two days later. Our group ranged in age from 6 years old to my 75 year old mom. Everyone got to feed the stingrays and interact with them, they truly are amazing creatures!

The stories that we're hearing about are really freak accidents. Usually, the only way you can get stung by a stingray is by stepping on it. They'll flick their barb up and sting your ankle. If you shuffle your feet in the water, they'll realize you're coming and take off long before you get to them.

 

[peekab0082]

The stingray excursion on Castaway Cay is in an enclosed area.

The stingrays barbs are cut back, it's similar to clipping the nails of an animal. The barb grows back but they closely monitor the length and trim them back when necessary.

The excursion at CC was awesome! You won't be in any danger if you decide to go. We heard about Steve Irwin's death while aboard the Wonder and participated in the excursion two days later. Our group ranged in age from 6 years old to my 75 year old mom. Everyone got to feed the stingrays and interact with them, they truly are amazing creatures!

The stories that we're hearing about are really freak accidents. Usually, the only way you can get stung by a stingray is by stepping on it. They'll flick their barb up and sting your ankle. If you shuffle your feet in the water, they'll realize you're coming and take off long before you get to them.

maybe thats what was meant when someone told us that the stingers were removed then. As in "cut back"

 

[inkkognito]

They are trimmed approximately every three months. It must not distress them very much because after the hurricane that ripped down the nets that enclosed them, they all escaped...but almost all of them returned!! They must be pretty happy with life at CC.

But of course the rays at Grand Cayman do not have their barbs trimmed because they are wild rays out in the ocean. Be sure you "shuffle" your feet when walking out on the sandbar on the GC excursion to avoid stepping on one. That is the most common way to get stung (i.e. stepping on one buried in the sand).

 

[peekab0082]

great to know! My mom keeps trying to convince my dad to do the stingray excursion at CC but he's scared to death!!

Hopefully he'll come around.

 

[Chrismike]

We're doing the Sting ray excustion at Rum Point beach, my kids are 5 and 8
and a bit nervous. We've havn't canceled because my wife says the glass
bottom boat ride would a least be fun , but that's a little expensive for a
boat ride - I need some feed back!!!!

 

[flexsmom]

At CC the stingray barbs are trimmed, not removed - kind of like you trim a dog or cat's claws (or that was the analogy that the marine biologist there used during her familiarization talk before wading out to do the feeding.)

 

[LCTsMom]

At CC the stingray barbs are trimmed, not removed - kind of like you trim a dog or cat's claws (or that was the analogy that the marine biologist there used during her familiarization talk before wading out to do the feeding.)

The stingray excursion on Castaway Cay is in an enclosed area.

The stingrays barbs are cut back, it's similar to clipping the nails of an animal. The barb grows back but they closely monitor the length and trim them back when necessary.The excursion at CC was awesome! You won't be in any danger if you decide to go. We heard about Steve Irwin's death while aboard the Wonder and participated in the excursion two days later. Our group ranged in age from 6 years old to my 75 year old mom. Everyone got to feed the stingrays and interact with them, they truly are amazing creatures!

The stories that we're hearing about are really freak accidents. Usually, the only way you can get stung by a stingray is by stepping on it. They'll flick their barb up and sting your ankle. If you shuffle your feet in the water, they'll realize you're coming and take off long before you get to them.

 

[angilovesthemouse]

DH and I were in Cozumel back in early March. It was too windy for our boat to anchor at Stingray City, so we were taken over to Deep Ray. We swam in about 30 ft of water, and one of our hosts dove down and brought the ray's up. We were able to feed them in deep water and watch them swim. It is breathtaking to watch an animal with an 8 foot span suddenly swim out of the water towards you.

Respect any animal, if it is in its natural habitat or not. People need to understand that these are still animals, and they will react on instinct if they feel threatened. Just like any domesticated animal has the potential to turn on their owners if they come under enough stress or pain.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Thats crazy we use to fish for them and use them for shark bait all the time when we were younger. The first thing my dad did was cut off the barb before bringing it on the boat.