Venomous fish discovered at Donkey Beach

The dead stingray stabbed by a young man.

A stingray was spotted in the coastal waters of Canefield’s Donkey Beach on August 19 at about 4 p.m.

A young man was swimming when he discovered the fish in the water, and stabbed it to death. He subsequently brought the stingray to shore and threw it back in the water, according to Jeanita Hill, who was witness to what occurred.

“In questioning the boy, he said it was not the first time he saw this in the water,” Hill noted.

Stingrays are commonly found in the shallow coastal waters of temperate seas. They spend the majority of their time inactive, partially buried in sand, often moving only with the sway of the tide.

The stingray’s spine, or barb, can be ominously fashioned with serrated edges and a sharp point. The underside may produce venom, which can be fatal to humans, and which can remain deadly even after the stingray’s death.

The stingray’s coloration commonly reflects the seafloor’s shading, camouflaging it from predatory sharks and larger rays. Like its shark relatives, it is outfitted with electrical sensors called ampullae of Lorenzini. Located around the stingray’s mouth, these organs sense the natural electrical charges of potential prey. Many rays have jaw teeth to enable them to crush mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels.

Some young men examine the stingray

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65 Comments

  1. commentator
    August 27, 2010

    I would very much enjoy the experience my friend.
    I know exactly what not to do to antagonise it and then I would make people pay me a dollar each to show them how to enjoy the experience-safely. By the way for those of you who did not actually watch the program where Steve got stung, he was bothering the fish and it took exception. Just like the time when he hung his son in front of a salty crocodile to “introduce” his son to the joys of the salty.
    If you put your hand in satan behind you should not be surprised to find out that his fire will burn you.

  2. commentator
    August 27, 2010

    I am so saddened to be reading such crasse coming from Dominicans at home and obviously abroad. Some of you know absolutely nothing about your flora and I suspect your fauna.
    If it moves, kill it. If it dies, eat it.
    Shame on you guys who are suffciently astute to have the language and the means to express yourselves so eloquently yet in the same act able to spout out the same stuff that I saw coming out of a bull’s behind last week.
    I have seen the discovery programs as well and I know about the wild life facility where rays are petted and fetted as a tourist attraction. To make tourist dollars!!!!

    The trouble is you will never miss the water until the well run dry.
    Keep on killing and senselessly destroying your wildlife and natural resources and to everyone who objects and tries to educate you about God’s creatures, keep blasting away at them.
    It really is true that we are not many generations removed from those ignorant people that the white man brought with him from Africa. Some of you too close for comfort.
    Tell you what though, other SMARTER people are quickly learning to conserve their meagre resources and using them to maximum effect whilst you guys are so ignorantly slaughtering everything that crosses your superstitious paths.
    Funny that today we are whale watching and making a dollar for you hungry Dominicans instead of allowing the Japanese to slaughter them for food.
    By the way, not all rays are sting rays and some of them are very edible and tasty indeed including the one we call the skate which is commercially fished in European waters. Ever had skate and chips? No? I suppose you prefer the KFC gm rubbish that you chaps are bloating yourselves on in Dominica?

    Still, what can you say to people who eat their national emblem as a national dish?

  3. cyannbelievemaheyes
    August 26, 2010

    @FattDoll: He couldn’t have said all that, you know why? Because he’s dead! You know what killed him? A Sting-Ray! Imagine that.

  4. FattDoll
    August 26, 2010

    @cyannbelievemaheyes:

    I ask him…he said he was just sitting in the water chilling minding his own business when the ray swam up to him and stung him!…Stuppessssssssssssssss..just how he used to be doing with the crocodiles….

  5. cyannbelievemaheyes
    August 26, 2010

    @Anonymous: u mean the manta ray, they are black and white, and for those who think that sting rays are harmless, go ask Steve Irwin!

  6. saddned
    August 26, 2010

    saddned not only by the unfortunate incident but more so by the fact that there is so much ignorance to facts. there is another point here, Dominica is a top Dive destination and this kind of press is doing damage to our reputation as an eco friendly and conservation savvy destination. the fact that so many comments are here means you all have computers at hand, so use it wisely to educate yourselves.

  7. excited
    August 26, 2010

    I think the young man was more dangerous than the stingray. swimming with a knife…..?????? what normal human being would go swimming armed with a knife unless he is fishing for trouble?

  8. well sah!
    August 26, 2010

    Am here reading people running there mouths bout “Oh He Shouldnt Have Killed It, And What Not” because it didnt do him anything.. but did STEVE ERWIN the TRAINED ANIMAL lover do the one which killed him anything?? think bout that!.. dont tell me you all rather a sea creature than a human life

  9. FishLover
    August 26, 2010

    DNO, This headline is unfortunate. This fish is not a strange danger. There are thousands more enjoying life in our waters, and tourists pay $$$ to come and enjoy their beauty. Its sad that this is portrayed as some kind of monster to be killed. I see these all the time in the water. They have defenses to protect themselves, thats all. Lets not encourage people to kill harmless fish, or to be scared of the sea.

  10. Fattdoll
    August 26, 2010

    @Anonymous:

    I agree… stop acting Neanderthal and barbaric! Nowadays when people come across strange things they pull out their camera phones and capture a video or take some pics! Not run and kill it…suppose it was the last of an endangered specie?…Your damn cave man!

  11. special
    August 26, 2010

    @lOoK KiCkS: lol at go back in the sea and hold all of dem and kill dem.

  12. seed
    August 26, 2010

    seeing a stingray while swimming is like seeing a man with a gun you dont know whats next dont take no chance i fish and twice i catch a stingray and i cut the line dont want to get in contact with none wat about the DEVILRAY u ppl dont want to get in contact with this one

  13. giant
    August 26, 2010

    i really thought it was an unusual stingray. Sometimess i c as much as 10 in one area. ownt attact if they are not attacked at.come onn educate ourselves

  14. giant
    August 26, 2010

    @commentator: ttell dem bout it

  15. Anonymous
    August 26, 2010

    Its unfortunate that people think stinrays are rare in Dominica waters, I doo spear fishing and i regularly see countless amount of stingrays , sometimes as much as10 in one area.whenever they see me they move away . i dont think they would attack if they r not attacked at.We need to educate ourselves bout these sea creatures. I really thought it was some unusual stingray. i usualy see the black and white ones which r more dangerous and still never attacked me ,so why kill it? ay e they got nice meat uno, tender.wakeup pple wake up.

  16. Slim bob
    August 25, 2010

    Hello ppl sting rays which have constant contact with humans don’t bother with humans.. There is no place here where we pet them and feed them.. Maybe we should start one.. Anyways sting rays are among the most dangerous fish in the sea. The guy was swimming with a knife I think he was fishing.. Buy anyways all this going back n forth about Dominicans ignorant is bull$hit i wander if any of u ppl saw a Ray in the water and ur kids were in there what would u do? I guess let them play? And just so u know there are coves where they pet and feed sharks as well with no cages and they say the same about sharks too.. They would not harm u n blah blah blah.. Give me a break. Not one of u guys would let ur kids swim with sharks or wild sting rays. Nuff said..

  17. Mr. Ray Sting III.
    August 25, 2010

    From reading the news clip I’m left to wonder if this was a beached stingray that met it’s demise, or did we had a classic James Bond, under water, kind of fight between boy with only a stainless knife “in sea” and a laboratory bred stingray by Dr. Evil? I’m choosing the former. It must have been a beached stingray (La Ray for those like me that’s not from Roseau..lol), and if it was the case the poor fish must have been disoriented and on it’s last days, anyways. On the other hand, if the battle had taken place in open water, and fish was healthy, fish would be (1) and boy with only a stainless knife “in sea” (0). These fish do defend themselves EFFECTIVELY “when attacked”. BTW, Canefield people, I have seen many a fisherman come home with stingray catches. It is edible, just so you know…..lol.. PS. I don’t eat la ray eh…ok!

  18. salop
    August 25, 2010

    Killing the poor fish in the sea where it belongs is like killing a man at his home.we cannot have it all..

  19. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    Allu too kontry bookie, right there on coconut beach and purple turtle beach in portsmouth has alot of those. Thats a common thing. That boy had no reason to kill the creature.

  20. August 25, 2010

    TO THOSE PERSONS SAYING HE SHOULD NOT HAVE KILLED THE STING RAY IS NONESENCE DEM TALKING SEEMS TO ME YOU ALL WOULD PREFER TO HEAR IT KILLED A HUMAN INSTEAD SHAME ON YOU ALL.IF YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH A DANGEROUS SNAKE WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU GET THE FIRST CHANCE?GO THINK ABOUT IT.

  21. mabouché
    August 25, 2010

    @gee:
    Gee..u r an a$$hole. FYI it is very uncommon to have humans being attacked by stingrays. Yes the stinger/tail is venomous ; it will cause pain, swelling, muscle cramp & even infection HOWEVER the wounds are seldom life threatening except if pierces a vital organ eg the heart as in Steve erwin’s case. Know ur sh!t b4 u post !
    The creature would have wandered off eventually… killing it was uncalled for…@ the same time i dont completely blame the young guy for his lack of info……… my 2 cent contribution !

  22. kendi john
    August 25, 2010

    why did u kill the animal it didnt do you anything
    if you were a stinng ray will you like someone to kill you?all you had to do was becarefull where you step and move out of the water if you please.they are bot harmful,they may look scary but are less harmful then sharks.you may be terrified but it is more terrified of you.
    please next time think before your actions.thank you for your co-opperation.

    and soon in the future all animals will speak,it could be a possibility.lol

  23. Gary
    August 25, 2010

    @Landey

    There is a difference between facts and what you believe, if you want to remain ignorant about the mater and
    make your beliefs or opinion sound factual then I think you are the one that is naive.

  24. icecold
    August 25, 2010

    i had the opportunity to touch sting rays recently whilst playing with them.They seem quite harmless, and will only attacked if they are threatened. So whats the logic for throwing the injured fish in the sea?

  25. mannn
    August 25, 2010

    ofcorse he wud kill it n throw it back in the water…its the best idea seeing that he is not gonna eat it…havnt u ever studied habbitats in biology?…removing an organism from its community is tampering with the whole process of living (i cant put it in a better way). so that it can decompose in the sea/ be eaten by other fishes n decomposers …returning nutrients….just as it wud if it had died of other causes…it wudve been in the sea dead anyways noo?…

  26. Ridiculous
    August 25, 2010

    ‘why would you stab a sting ray? Those things are harmless unless bothered and they have to defend themselves!!!

  27. SMH
    August 25, 2010

    shows not only the ignorance the boy had towards the animal but Dominicans on a whole. These animals don’t attack you unless you attack them or they feel threaten… wonder if some of you ever heard of discovery channel. People swim with them daily or touch them example cayman islands and tobago, wild ones on the beach. SMH go learn something instead of typing ignorance on here.

  28. DD
    August 25, 2010

    @Landey: I totally agree but I forgot to ask that it was even worst for him to throw it back into sea because it would have been easier for someone to come into contact with the barb because if it were alive it would swim away upon seeing a human. I researched the following on Wikipedia “Stingrays do not aggressively attack humans, and stings usually occur when a ray is accidentally stepped on.[9] Shuffling or stamping one’s feet while wading through shallow water may cause stingrays to swim away. Contact with the stinger causes local trauma (from the cut itself), pain, swelling, muscle cramps from the venom, and possibly infection from bacteria later. The injury is very painful, but seldom life-threatening unless the stinger pierces a vital area.[9] The stinger usually breaks off in the wound, and surgery may be required to remove the fragments.[10] A notable fatality is that of wildlife adventurer and television personality Steve Irwin.”

  29. August 25, 2010

    Stringray killed Steve, we kill the Stingray! Bulls kill people during the “Running of the Bull”, we eat the Bull! Trichina kill humans, yet we devour pork! AIDS kill, we don’t care a ………….

  30. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    oh please! You mean a stingray made the news? I swim with them very often.They do not try attacking people just so. while they may be harmful if stepped on or grabbed upon they are pretty much no big deal in the water.Tourist often swim with them as well.They are not like sharks that come to attack you.Thats like trying to make a show about nothing!

  31. August 25, 2010

    It is unfortunate that so many people do not understand what they read. It is worse still that they further make comments that confuses those who are trying to learn.

    As Watcher pointed out, the article was written to point out the dangers of being in contact with a stingray can be a fatal encounter. Fatal means deadly, because the fish can sting with its serrated and sharp points, which produce venom. Venom is a deadly poison. We are told that even after the fish is dead, it serrated edges and sharp points continue to secret the venom

    We do not have to wait for the fish to attack; a person can accidentally come in close enough contact with it, and it will sting them. The name of the fish alone tells a person what it does. IT STINGS AND RELEASES VENOM (a deadly poison) into your blood. We are told that even after the fish is dead, it serrated edges and sharp points continues to secret the venom.

    That fish is the same as a poisonous snake, and all of the various mosquitoes that sting and give us dengue, malaria, and the other deadly fevers. We never know when we are going to come into contact with them. I hate snakes and I would never wait around one to destroy it when it attacks me.

    The boy’s instinct to destroy the fish, was a possible act to protect other swimmers. Since he said that he has seen other fish like that one before, maybe that is the reason he swims with a knife.

    I am sure that the purpose of this article is not to report that a boy killed a stingray, which he saw in the water; but it is to warn swimmers of the dangers of coming into contact with this deadly fish. Yes, the fish may not attack anyone, but if a person’s body accidentally comes into close enough contact with it, it will definitely sting them. Thanks to God, that the boy saw the fish before he bumped into its stinging claws.

    I would suggest that people go back and view the ratings of the comments they write. Maybe they would think twice, or read the news article with clear understanding, before they post their comments. Unless they are just out to be foolish or to disagree with everything.

  32. Landey
    August 25, 2010

    @Gary:
    lol u can’t be that nieve.. The sting rays u r talking about have been trained and exposed to human contact.. They know humans come to feed them.. Sting rays kill ppl. I bet the stingers on most of the rays in the cayman island spot got clipped. If the fish gets startled it could strike to kill.. U think the cayman gov gan take that chance?????

  33. mouth of the south
    August 25, 2010

    @lOoK KiCkS: it clearly shows u know nothing about sting rays,,,, they don’t bite humans so u n ur son can enjoy the beach,,, and Gee stop spreading lies and misleading our d/can people,,, STING RAY DON’T CAUSE MORE DEATHS THAN SHARKS,,,, THAT’S IF THEY DO,,,,,, the famous guy who died steve erwin,, that situation is jus one of the odd moments in nature,,,, so much of dat it have in grandbay to scotts head,,,,, dem town man doesn’t fish so the boy see a sting ray n got coward n reacted like a natural coward,,,,, there was nothing brave bout killing a harmless n defenseless sting ray

  34. Landey
    August 25, 2010

    @DD:
    the guy didn’t know better.. Sting rays can kill though…. Don’t 4get that

  35. lOoK KiCkS
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator: well all u dominicans love animals eh, so u prefer the boy die than the stingray????? well u all WHITE eh… well my partner go back and swim.. look for all the stingrays in the water and kill them for me please cause i wanna take my son to the beach on sunday and i really dont want any biting any of us… U did the best thing u should be given an award for this heroic act.

  36. Montego Bay
    August 25, 2010

    i find that strange….so much of that i see already in the sea…. especially newtown…. town ppl does nto bathe int he sea man

  37. kix
    August 25, 2010

    Good thing they kill it..what if it was someone in the water and they didn’t notice it in the water….what you all would say?

  38. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    Crikey! check out that sting ray

  39. The Critic
    August 25, 2010

    REMEMBER THE FAMOUS CROCODILE HUNTER FROM AUSTRALIA?? HE WAS KILLED BY A STINGRAY!!

    wow!! It’s unbelievable how we get a mixed views on this situation. No one knows what they would do if they got to this situation. I am pretty sure if this guy did nothing and someone on the beach the same day was killed by the stingray, all these people commenting that he should not have killed it would then say ”oh if he saw it first he should have just killed it”.. You never know how to please people & that is why it is important to first please yourself and that is what the young boy did and he saved lives.THANK YOU!!!

  40. Gary
    August 25, 2010

    @Anonymous:

    Why are you making such comment. The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.

  41. DD
    August 25, 2010

    The stingray would not have harmed them and they just kill it. We hardly see Stingrays in Dominica, all this helps with a our diving industry and they just kill it. This is just real ignorance.

  42. mouth of the south
    August 25, 2010

    hahaha dat one is a joke eh so much of dat we see down in the south already,,,, ohhh i forgot them town man dem doh swim far lol allu had me thinking is some piranhas lol though they don’t live in sea

  43. BRONX, NY
    August 25, 2010

    i believe that the fisheries division may well have to step in and give some enlightenment on the stingray for the public and most of all for sea bathers… as the young man said this is not the first time he came into encounter with the animal so some education or public awareness for sea bathers need to be put in place i.e. what to do if you get in contact with a stingray… killing it is not the first option, but i am giving the young man the benefit of the doubt, he probably frightened or was in very close proximity with the animal.

  44. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    @Gary: now.. if it had kill d boy..it woulda b anoda story..stupes!

  45. justice
    August 25, 2010

    you guys are being indiotic these aren’t trained stingrays they would kill without thinking i you give them a chance.

  46. Gary
    August 25, 2010

    @gee:

    I think you should get your facts correct, before making such outrageous statements which are unfounded.

  47. Sekhan
    August 25, 2010

    I’d encourage the Fisheries Department to issue a statement with guidelines on the appropriate course of action to be taken when/if one encounters such sea creatures. It is unfortunate that we take action based on our fears/perception and then rob our heritage of an abundance of diversity.

  48. Gary
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator:

    Yes, I do agree with what was said. Why the fear, well it is because of ignorance. I have been to the Cayman Islands and one of the major Tourist attractions there is a place called Stingray city. You could be literally surrounded by stingrays in the shallow water, feeding and petting them as they swim freely among you. no harm done.From reading the story nothing was said that the young man was threatened or attacked. I hope an indecent like this would not repent it self again in such senseless killing.

  49. Nathaniel Peltier
    August 25, 2010

    This has shown that we have not gotten where we want to with regards to Environmental awareness. It is high time start going further with education of our general public in the areas of nature and the environment. We just had dive fest sometime a back. Is it just about fun and drinking or is there an educational aspect associated with it. I this we should pay more attention in making our people more aware of what we have and how we should protect it.

  50. Samm
    August 25, 2010

    The stingray was not threatening him, why kill it?

  51. Justice wll prevail
    August 25, 2010

    You are so right Commentator. They should teach kidds to leave the sea creatures alone. there are human stinger rays out of the water on land with more venom that terrorizes the Dominican populace. Take care of the venomous human rays they are the mosst dangerous rays. Such ignorance still exist in this morden day Dominica

  52. gee
    August 25, 2010

    Stingrays kill more people than sharks…Steve Erwin was a famous example..As a lover of mankind i rather hear that the kids kill the stingray than the stingray kill my fellow brothers/sisters…

  53. Watcher
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator: The picture above clearly shows a lot of swimmers. Isn’t it????

  54. Watcher
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator: “The stingray’s spine, or barb, can be ominously fashioned with serrated edges and a sharp point. The underside may produce venom, which can be fatal to humans, and which can remain deadly even after the stingray’s death.” This is what the article says about Stingray. We know for a fact that persons go there for a swim and in fact the young man who foound it was swimming. ????????????????

  55. What??
    August 25, 2010

    Kills it and throws it back into the water. Unbelievable. That one is on the authorities. I can understand if he was being attacked by the stingray. Public education and sensitization urgently required. We must not only call ourselves the nature island, we also need to behave as such.

  56. wow
    August 25, 2010

    this is scary…. those things can be very dangerous… and for u mr.c or miss c… i would like to see u swimming in the water with sharks, stingrays and the like and not do anything about it…those things will attack if they feel threatened…are u an animal whisperer or sumting to kno when dey will attack???…. ppl just be careful and observant when y’all go to the beach…

  57. Jeff
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator

    he should have hopped on its back and swim away with it and they would have lived happily ever after.

  58. The Patriot
    August 25, 2010

    Just tell me young man, why did you have to kill the animal? We need to stop the senseless destruction of nature. Sting rays use their barbs only for defense. They won’t attack unless they are threatened. Yes it was close to the shoreline, but that’s there environment where it belongs. We humans are just to insensitive sometimes to wildlife and nature on a whole. I believe DNO and everyone who leaves a comment on this should strongly condemn this senseless act. It has be proven that people, particular young people who commit these acts eventually goes on to commit serious crimes against fellow humans. BE WARNED!!

  59. Eat dat
    August 25, 2010

    They can always eat it yea so that it doesn’t go to waste or just give it to someone who does.

  60. Fresh
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator: I Wonder if it was you in the water what would you do?

  61. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    yes commentator…wen will u stab it? after it sting/kill one of your relatives swimmin nearby?

  62. Anonymous
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator:
    Stop being an idiot…….

  63. Homeboy
    August 25, 2010

    Why would someone be swimming with a knife? He must have been spear- fishing!

  64. ??????????????
    August 25, 2010

    @commentator: Maybe it would be a great idea to put you in a pool with one —- ha ha ha — so much for environmentalism

  65. commentator
    August 25, 2010

    What is this? are we still that ignorant in Dominica? this is senseless destruction and environmental vandalism.
    Like killing a snake for no reason.
    and killing turtles for their meat and eggs.
    Come on people. Wake up!

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