City of the Sting Rays

Stingray city lies off of Grand Cayman island in the Caribbean.

It is not an actual dwelling but a place where tamed stingrays- the Southern stingray, Dasyatis Americana congregate for tourists.

Origonally local fisherman had deposited their offal from their catches near some shallow water next to sandbars. This attracted a devote following of local stingrays and a tourist destinations was born!

Today tour companies ferry tourists for a relatively controlled encounter with nature.

Stingrays are cartilaginous flattened fish. They feed through an oval mouth on their underside because they are bottom feeders thus they cannot bite someone unless a finger was actually introduced into their mouth. Visitors feed them by cupping a piece of fish that the ray sucks in.

Patience and coaxing have allowed people to gentle raise the stingray in their arms and even kiss it on the nose!

Most rays are not so friendly though. Usually they will flee if encountered or reflexively sting with their barbed tail.

The tail can carry toxins depending on the species as well as introduce infections from local water into a wound. All wounds should be checked out by a medical person.

One of my patients had been wading through a shallow brackish water and was stung by a ray . His wound became inflamed and was slow to heal but eventually did.

Another man phoned me from Florida 45 minutes after being bitten- he was lucky enough to have contacted local paramedics who were on the scene and advised him to soak his ankle in hot (not scalding) water that neutralizes toxins and brings relief.

It is always important to receive immediate attention since sometimes it is unclear what type of animal (stingray, sea urchin, jellyfish) caused the trauma. Local EMS are familiar with what animals are commonly there and can give immediate attention.

In all cases it is recommended to have a medical person examine the wound and possibly X-ray it to ensure there is no deep penetration or fractures. All wounds have to be watched for infection.

It is suggested that when wading in stingray waters to slowly shuffle your feet as this gives them advance warming so they may safely flee without having to use their stinger.

The most famous death from Stingrays was the wildlife adventurer Steve Irwin who was accidentally penetrated through the heart by a frightened stingray. Following his death several mutilated stingrays were discovered on beaches as an act of “retribution” which has been condemned by all naturalists. All wildlife is always unpredictable and do haven't be respected even in groomed displays such as Stingray City.

This is important since the popularity of the Grand Cayman colony other resorts are seeding and grooming their own stingray populations for the tourist trade.

The family and supporters of Steve Irwin continue to support advocacy of wildlife including Stingrays. (www.crocodilehunter.com.au)