How can you pet the stingrays at Sea World and Discovery Cove without a risk of injury?

Question

I have touched the Stingrays at Sea World and swam with dozens of them at Discovery Cove in Orlando. They seem to still have their barbs. All i can find out by researching them is that they are rarely aggressive and sting only when provoked...well, this is common sense since THEY LET YOU SWIM WITH THEM! But, wouldnt Sea World HAVE to remove any barbs to eliminate the possibility of someone getting injured? There are hundreds of people who come in contact with them everyday at their parks. Is this done? or do they have their barbs? Also, how do the places in Grand Cayman have hundreds of swimmers around them without accidents like what happened to Irwin?

Answer 1

Aquarium and SeaWorld rays have their barbs trimmed. Normally, rays only sting when they are attacked or stepped on. The rays you can swim with in the wild are used to people. This was a fluke accident, or so it seems, with Steve Irwin. I've swam with rays, pet them, even caught them. Millions and millions of people do so every year. Rays simply are not normally aggressive.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

There are MANY different types of sting rays, and they probably have different behavioral patterns. The ones I have seen up close didn't even have barbs at all. Relax. They probably can't remove the barbs for the safety of the animal, and probably create an environment that allows the creatures to NOT get blocked in, thus allowing you to swim safely.

Answer 4

In captivity the venomous barbs are removed. And plus the rays are accustomed to humans petting them and therefore do not see humans as a threat. In the wild they do have their barbs, but the ones at th Cayman Islands are used to the company of humans and therefore are not threatened by them. As with any wild creature it is wise take caution and treat them with respect.

Answer 5

I have no idea. I have swam with the Sting Rays in Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman. Beautiful, docile creatures. Anyway, this is a mystery to me. If they have to remove their barbs I would be against allowing people to swim with them. Just my thought.

Answer 6

I was watching the CBS morning show this morning and they had the curator of the marine park in maine on. He showed barbs that were removed from stingrays in captivity. If you swam with them in their own habitat thay probably did not percieve you as a threat.

Answer 7

Can You Touch A Stingray

Answer 8

They are typically non-aggressive to humans and are quite safe to be around. But when provoked they will assume a defensive posture. Irwin was clearly unlucky in this regard, because he wasn't stung to death (rays can't kill you with their venom, it just hurts like heck), he was knifed through the heart. It was a million to one shot.

btw, the rays for petting at Sea World are bat rays.

Answer 9

I've done the same thing with wild rays Honduras. I think it was a freak accident. Also the ray that stabbed Steve was prolly larger. I've read accounts that said that the ray was boxed in, and also this ray may have never seen a person before.

Answer 10

The ones in captivity have their barbs cut off.