Aussie icon and conservationist Steve Irwin died, killed by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef.It’s a death that sent shockwaves around the world as The Crocodile Hunter was a global brand with legions of fans from across the globe.Even today, nearly 18 years later, it’s a death that hits plenty of people hard — and has classed stingrays as deadly and dangerous.It’s something that momentarily crossed my mind when I was sent for a stingray experience on a recent assignment to New Zealand.But what I found was the complete opposite and a new appreciation for a tragically misunderstood animal.Stingrays are prevalent across Australia and New Zealand with the animals living in coastal waters and in warm and tropical areas and migrating in cooler months.While stingrays have the ability to kill with their barbs, reportedly fewer than 20 people have been killed worldwide by stingrays since 1945, with just five in Australia.To put it into perspective, 91 people died falling out of bed in Australia in 2022, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.More common are injuries from the stingray barbs, which release a complex venom that is painful if struck, but the injuries are generally treated with hot water immersion, unless there’s a deep puncture.It is recommended if you are stung by a stingray to seek medical attention as it may also require a tetanus shot or an inspection to ensure none of the barb remains in the injured area.But in the wild, more likely the old adage “they’re more scared of you than you are of them” comes to mind.Often the biggest issue is stingrays being stepped on by people, or the stingray getting a fright and feeling it needs to defend itself.It makes experiences like those offered at
