The Secret Life of Stingrays

The irrational fear of stingrays is called dasyatophobia. While stepping on a stingray is painful, it is rarely deadly. As the aquatic world’s most efficient vacuum cleaner, there’s more to love than fear about stingrays.

• The short-tail stingray can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh over 750 pounds.
• The barbed stinger at the base of a stingray’s tail can up be to 14 inches long. It’s used exclusively for self-defense. The venom glands are located in two grooves on the underside of the stinger but the poison is distributed across the appendage under a thin layer of skin.
• In Greek mythology, Telegonus killed his father, King Odysseus, with a stingray-tipped spear.
• To avoid stepping on a stingray, shuffle your feet across the ocean bottom. Wearing wading shoes and gaiters can help protect against the stingray’s stinger. The biggest danger from a sting is infection; clean the wound and seek immediate medical attention.
• A few days after famous conservationist and zoo keeper Steve Irwin’s death by accidental stingray sting, a string of revenge killings left at least 10 mutilated stingray carcasses along the coast of Australia. Mike Hornby, director of Irwin’s conservation group, was quick to respond. “We are disgusted and disappointed that people would take this action against wildlife,” he said, “this is not what Steve was about.”
• Ray skin, which is hard and rough, is prized in Japan where it was traditionally used to improve the grips of Samurai swords. Today, the skin is made into shoes, boots, belts, purses, jackets and cellphone cases.

• Rays can’t see their prey because their eyes are on the top of their flat head and their mouth is below. To get dinner—mainly mollusks, crustaceans and the occasional small fish—they rely on smell and electroreceptors similar to their shark cousins.
• The wings (called flaps) and cheeks (around the eyes) are edible and used as a substitute for scallops.
• The stingray’s hydrodynamic shape has inspired designs for everything from airplanes to submarines. One of Ocean Kayak’s first sit-on-top kayaks, the Manta, featured a stingray-like wing on the bow to deflect spray.