Up Close and Personal with a Sting Ray
Posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
Within 20 minutes of investigating the Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida, I followed the buzz of onlookers who chattered about a man who unexpectedly caught a stingray while fishing. As no one wanted to unhook the small stingray, his life slowly slipped away as he spent more time out of the water. It seemed like forever before the fisherman was given a pair of pliers. Quickly, but apprehensively, he cut the hook and clumsily kicked the stingray over the pier.
The marine creature, which is related to sharks and known for possessing a venomous deadly barb, slowly sunk towards the bottom of the water before a burst of rejuvenation sent him swimming away. Although he wasn’t the prettiest of creatures with his piercing beady eyes and fleshy pinkness, he was still a sight to see. Shown is the picture of my stingray friend before he was cut loose and sent back into the Gulf of Mexico. Cool Fact: According to National Geographic, ancient Greek dentists used stingray venom as an anesthetic.
