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Stingray
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Jul 31, 2025
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Malcolm Walker here on Wild but True.
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Today we're going to talk about the
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stingray. The stingray is a large
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cartilagynous fish that has a very
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distinct shape with its flattened head
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and its long often pointed tail. It has
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pectoral fins that are connected by a
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thin membrane which allows it to look
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like a mermaid tail. Its eyes are very
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small and some species even have
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electric organs that they use to
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navigate murky waters. They have a
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bottom mouth that faces downwards and
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their teeth are typically sharp and
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pointed, good for piercing the skin of
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prey. As far as size, most stingrays are
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anywhere between 6 to 7 feet wide and
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weigh up to 200 lb. But there are larger
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ones that can grow up to 13 ft wide and
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weigh over 400 lb. The largest one ever
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recorded was caught in Australia and
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weighed over 600 lb. Can you imagine?
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The stingray is mostly found in coastal
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areas of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans
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as well as the Gulf of Mexico and the
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Caribbean Sea. Some species prefer
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warmer waters while others prefer colder
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climates. They're often found in
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brackish water or even fresh water. For
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example, the Amazon River stingray can
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grow up to 8 ft wide and is the largest
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freshwater stingray in the world. Now,
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let's talk about the diet of the
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stingray. The freshwater stingray is a
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carnivore. It feeds mainly on fish,
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crabs, shrimp, and other small aquatic
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animals. It also has a habit of stealing
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food and will often snatch fish from the
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hands of fishermen. The blue spotted
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stingray, found in the Indopacific
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region, is a favorite target for divers,
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as it has a particular taste for shiny
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objects such as watches and jewelry.
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Divers often get bitten when they try to
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take these items away from them. You
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might think that the stingray is a
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slowmoving, sluggish creature, but they
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can actually swim at speeds of up to 20
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mph. They have a lifespan of 50 to 70
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years. Now, despite their generally
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docile nature, the stingray can be
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dangerous if provoked or if it feels
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threatened. Now, unlike most sharks
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whose teeth are their main weapon, the
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stingray uses its tail as a weapon. At
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the end of its tail, it has one or more
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sharp serrated barbs that are connected
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to venom glands. If the stingray feels
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threatened, it can flick its tail and
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release the barb into its attacker. This
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can cause a deep wound and excruciating
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pain, and in rare cases, it can be
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fatal. For example, in 2006, Steve
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Irwin, the famous crocodile hunter, was
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pierced in the chest by a stingray barb
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while filming a documentary in the Great
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Barrier Reef. The barb tore through his
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heart, causing him to bleed profusely.
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Was only 44 years old. If you're bitten
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by a stingray, it's important to seek
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medical attention immediately. Venom
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experts say that vinegar is much better
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than alcohol or sea water for cleaning
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wounds because alcohol and sea water can
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spread the pain. Plus, venom experts
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also recommend sucking the wound to
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remove any unfired cells. Then, you
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should immerse the affected area in hot
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water for 30 minutes to stop the pain
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signals from reaching your brain. The
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stingray is a fascinating creature that
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plays an important role in the
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ecosystem. It is a vital part of the
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food chain and helps to keep populations
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of other animals in check. So, next time
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you're at the beach, remember to be
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respectful of these amazing animals and
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don't provoke them or try to touch them.
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If you like this video, please give us a
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thumbs up and share it with your
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friends. Remember to subscribe so you
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#Biological Sciences
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