2006-09-04 15:58:41 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It's rare, but yes, it does happen. In this most recent case the barb pierced his heart.
2006-09-04 16:00:25 · answer #1 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
goodness me, the snarkiness in some answers...does it feel good to get your 2 points by putting in your 2 centsworth of duhhs? aren't we all vulnerable? Steve Irwin was seemingly invincible, wrestling crocodiles, which kill more people by far than stingrays do, and he died in an incredibly inprobable attack. Someone is perhaps wrestling with that issue...how likely it is for a stingray to kill someone...and good feeling and vibe would be preferable, no?
Sting ray fatalities are apparently incredibly rare. Someone cited that there are maybe 17 recorded fatalities ever from stingrays. Their venom can cause great pain, but if the barb hits an extremity, as it sometimes does for surfers who land on them or people just mucking about in the water and stepping on one, it is almost never serious. It is incredibly sharp however, and if it pierces the body and enters a vital organ or major blood vessel, it can cause organ failure or bleeding 'out'. I think they are going to determine by autopsy whether in Steve Irwin's case it was bleeding to death or cardiac arrest caused by the action of the toxin, or some combo of the trauma to heart tissue and the venom's effects.
In general, though, the venom is not in itself capable of killing a human being. It is not, as I understand it, sufficiently toxic unless it were to have more direct action on the heart rate like it might if shot near or into the heart or other organ that would be bad to have undergo serious 'necrosis' (tissue death).
Stingrays are also typically very shy and not aggressive. I've read some guessing that maybe the stringrays at that place at this time of year were feeling very skittish, wary of the tiger sharks that sometimes attack them around now. According to the people present, as I understand it, Steve didn't do anything provocative. Usually stingrays only sting when stepped on or landed on, not when they have time or opportunity to just swim away.
2006-09-04 23:26:37 · answer #2 · answered by Michelle H 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
OMG! I cannot believe you just happen to be asking this question out of the blue, so you must be asking it because a popular personality was killed by a stingray.
So what the heck do you think?
Stingray "stings" can be 10" long, but attacks are not usually fatal to humans. If they happen to poke a hole in your heart, guess what happens unless you happen to be in an ER when it happens.
Duh!
2006-09-04 23:06:25 · answer #3 · answered by LazlaHollyfeld 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Sting rays are deadliest ...
u can visit the following website to know more about sting rays
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray
2006-09-05 02:31:52 · answer #4 · answered by Jacuti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but it's not likely that they would kill a human. Stingrays are not on the list of killing humans in the wild.
2006-09-04 23:05:51 · answer #5 · answered by T.S. Quint 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but it's very rare. Take an example of Steve Irwin.
2006-09-04 23:42:53 · answer #6 · answered by alvin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Apparently!!!
2006-09-05 01:47:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the radio it was said that if you are stung in the rib cage near your heart then yes. anywhere else and it will be very painfull but you wont die.
2006-09-04 23:00:47 · answer #8 · answered by NebCamp 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
De De De, Another person we dont want access to a voting box
2006-09-04 23:05:09 · answer #9 · answered by myothernewname 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously....
2006-09-04 23:03:35 · answer #10 · answered by Jessica 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋