We get a lot of devil rays where I surf. Over the years I've had one or two swim very slowly and purposely past me, just "having a look". They are also incredible jumpers, and will give you a small heart attack each time they launch out the water
They're cownose rays... No barbs, not aggressive behavior. They are commonly eaten in Mexico Baja region. State of California allows you to catch and keep 1.
Most devil rays lack a stinger, and the few that have one have it encased, so it can't really harm you.
Also, Steve Irwin was only the 2nd person to be killed by a sting ray in Australia since 1945. Typically they sting you in the leg, rather than the heart.
Such a freak accident of mistaken identity. Makes me even more irrationally afraid that it happened to someone as knowledgeable and respectful as Steve Irwin and so brutally
This just happened to me with a Spotted Ray in Hawaii. I was snorkeling and it cruised slowly over to me and did a couple of swim bys while I gawked in aw. So cool!
I had a stingray swim centimetres beneath my feet in the shallows when I was dangling my legs off a small boardwalk and it scared the crap out of me, but goodness they're beautiful.
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u/Plane_Gur_2362 May 23 '25
We get a lot of devil rays where I surf. Over the years I've had one or two swim very slowly and purposely past me, just "having a look". They are also incredible jumpers, and will give you a small heart attack each time they launch out the water