Stingray Injuries Rarely Fatal

Sept. 4, 2006 —While stingray-related deaths are extremely rare, at least two other people have died when one of the flat fish reflexively jabbed a spine into their hearts, according to Australian news reports.

The exact name and size of the species responsible for "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's death Monday have not yet been released, but two factors concerning stingrays appear to be linked to all of the known fatalities: the size of the fish and where the victim is injured.

"The larger the ray, the more venom it is likely to have," said Dan Laughlin, assistant curator of fishes at the New England Aquarium in Boston. "Irwin's death, however, was an extraordinary circumstance. It could be that venom affects the body differently depending on where the injury occurs."

Laughlin, who interacts daily with stingrays at the aquarium during feedings, told Discovery News that most stingray injuries affect the extremities, such as a leg, hand or arm, and even these events are rare and do not usually result in the victim's death.

At least two people other than Irwin have suffered puncture wounds to the heart by stingrays in Australia.

In March 1988, a 12-year-old boy died six days after being punctured in the chest near his heart's right ventricle. The attack occurred while the boy was in a dinghy at Mourilyan Harbour near Innisfail.

In the 1930s, a similar stingray chest injury killed a man who was swimming in Victoria.

Stingrays have whip-like tails of varying sizes that have sharp spines lined with barbs.

Poison glands at the base of the spines can release toxins when the animal is startled and stabs its tail at a threat. It is a reflex move, similar to a knee jerk.

John O'Sullivan, curator of field operations at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, has twice been injured by stingrays.

After removing spines from animals being readied for exhibit, he accidentally got some venom in his hand. He also once accidentally stepped on a stingray.

"It's like getting hit by a needle with electricity," O'Sullivan told Discovery News. "The pain is very intense."

He thinks the barb itself, and not the poison, likely caused the greatest injury to Irwin's heart.

"After the puncture, the stingray would have withdrawn its spine," he said. "The barbs pulling out would have inflicted tremendous damage. It would have been like a sawing action."

Although both O'Sullivan and Laughlin regularly interact with stingrays, they do not plan to change any handling procedures in the aftermath of Irwin's death, saying that it is difficult to respond to an occurrence that is so rare.

They also hope that the public will not malign stingrays, which generally are gentle creatures.

O'Sullivan advised that surfers, swimmers and divers should shuffle their feet when entering waters known to contain stingrays. If they then accidentally touch a ray, the interaction would likely occur on the edge of the animal, which usually flees.

He also advised that all stingray injury victims should seek medical attention because, like a bee sting, the poison seems to affect some individuals more severely than others.

Both O'Sullivan and New England Aquarium spokesman Tony LaCasse believe swim-with-rays attractions in the Caribbean are still safe.

"Statistically, if you go on one of these vacations you have a greater chance of dying in the plane ride flying out there than you do of being gored by a stingray," said LaCasse.

O'Sullivan, however, added, "Steve Irwin's death reminds us all of the respect we need to have for animals. That was the message he often shared through his work, and now indirectly through his death."