The spines on their tail are sharp
enough to pierce through a wooden boat.
Their venom can kill
human cells and tissues.
And as it enters your body,
you’ll experience excruciating pain,
as the serotonin in the venom
makes your muscles contract.
So what should you do
if you find yourself surrounded
by these poisonous creatures?
Stingrays are flat-bodied rays
that have long,
sharp spines on their tails.
There are about 200 species of stingrays,
and they live in freshwater
and saltwater.
The giant freshwater stingrays
can be up to 5 m (16.5 ft) long
and weigh up to 590 kg (1,300 lbs).
In their natural habitat,
these disk-shaped creatures are solitary.
They travel long distances
to find food
and rarely interact with other stingrays.
But recently,
they've started socializing more,
thanks to humans.
Some people have started
bringing stingrays,
among other marine creatures,
into their backyard swimming pools
to create self-sustaining ecosystems.
The process is known as aquaponics,
and although it may provide you
with some sustainable crops,
it can also introduce
a new danger to your backyard.
Because if you fall into the pool,
there are a lot of stingers
waiting for you.
Stingrays are bottom-dwellers,
and they like to bury
themselves in the sand.
This makes it hard to see them.
So you could step on a stingray
by accident and feel the sting
of its venomous tail.
To move safely around them,
don’t walk by lifting your feet.
Instead, shuffle your feet along
so they stay in contact with the floor.
This is called the stingray shuffle.
That will alert any camouflaged stingray
to your presence so it will move
and you won't step on it.
If you get stung by a stingray
in an area that does not
contain vital organs,
like your ankle,
pull the spine out
and apply pressure on the wound.
Then pour hot water on it,
as heat breaks down the venom,
and limits the amount of damage
that it can do to you.
The hot water may bring out the venom,
which will look like jelly.
But do it right away.
If the wound is not treated fast,
you may need amputation.
It's best if you swim near the surface
and don’t go down to the bottom.
And if you do see a stingray,
don't try to touch it.
An attack can be fatal
if the spines enter your vital organs.
In 2006, Steve Irwin,
a TV host known as
the Crocodile Hunter,
was trying to get some footage
of a short-tailed stingray
for a nature show.
The stingray started stabbing him
with its eight-inch long barbed spine.
The barb pierced his heart
and killed him.
Floating along the top of the water
is a smart idea.
You can look down
on these interesting creatures
without putting yourself in danger.
If the stingray’s barb enters
your abdomen or chest cavity,
that could kill you
due to the tissue death
caused by the venom
being close to your vital organs.
And the barbs on the spines
are so sharp they can inflict
serious damage if you pull them out.
So instead,
seek medical attention
immediately.
Stingrays are popular aquarium pets.
They eat worms, mollusks and other
invertebrates that live on the seafloor.
And they'll only hurt you
to defend themselves,
or if they feel harassed.
If you respect their space,
they'll respect yours in return.
You survived falling
into a pool of stingrays.
Now hopefully
you’ll be more careful
of where you swim.
But if you end up in another pool
filled with critters thirsty
for your blood, like leeches,
we're here to help you
on How to Survive.