THE STINGRAY IS A MEMBER OF THE SAME GROUP AS THE SHARK AND HAS MAINTAINED ITS SAME FORM FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS. IT IS QUITE SUCESSFUL USING ITS SENSE OF SMELL AND MOUTH FOR ALL HUNTING OF SHELL FISH AND INVERTIBRATES AND DOSEN'T USE THE BARB FOR ANY REASON EXCEPT DEFENSE. MANY LARGE SHARKS LIKE TO FEED ON THEM AND ITS NOT UNUSUAL TO FIND BARBS AROUND THE MOUTH OF SHARKS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN STRUCK. THE BARBS OR BARB ARE COATED WITH A MUCUS COVERING THAT IS TOXIC BUT NOT FATAL TO HUMANS. THE STINGRAY STRIKE IS MOST POWERFUL TO THE SIDES AND FRONT OF THE ANIMAL SO GRABBING OR TOUCHING ITS HEAD WOULD INVITE A STRIKE.
I THINK THE SPEED, RANGE, POWER AND DANGER WERE UNDERESTEMATED IN THIS CASE WITH FATAL RESULTS. THE PROPER HANDELING OF DANGEROUS ANIMALS DOESN'T LOOK AS INTERESTING AS TAKING RISKS SO TAKEING UNNECESSARY RISKS WAS PART OF THE SHOWS REASON FOR SUCESS. A NARROW MISS BY A STRIKING SNAKE, CROC OR OTHER DANGEROUS ANIMAL IS ALWAYS MORE INTERESTING THAN JUST LOOKING AT ONE. BUT WITH WILD ANIMALS AND EVEN VERY WELL TRAINED ONES IT WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU SOONER OR LATER. IT MAY ALSO TEACH SOME PEOPLE WITH NO EXPERIENCE AND POOR JUDGEMENT TO TRY WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN WITH BAD RESULTS. IT IS A SHAME AS HE WAS A INTERESTING AND LIKABLE FELLOW BUT HE HAD A INTERESTING LIFE DOING WHAT HE LIKED BEST. MY SYMPATHYS ARE WITH THE FAMILY AND THEIR LOSS, THE CHILDREN HAVE LOST A VERY FUN DAD
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THE STINGRAY BARBS HAVE BEEN USED AS ARROW AND SPEAR POINTS IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE WORLD FOR A LONG TIME. THEY ARE ALSO ON THE MENU IN CERTIAN COUNTRYS, AND THE SKINS ARE USED FOR SWORD GRIPS,SCABBARD COVERINGS, BILLFOLDS ECT.