Stingrays can be deadly

Above is a magnified view of a tail spine from the Atlantic stingray.


Stingrays are considered passive creatures, but their venom and their barbed tails can be deadly, experts say.

According to experts, fatal attacks such as the that one killed the famous Steve Irwin of Australia are extremely rare.

Irwin's death was only the third known stingray death in Australian waters, said shark and stingray expert Victoria Brims from Oceanworld Manly, in Sydney.

A sting on the leg or arm can be painful but harmless, but if the sting hits a vital organ it could be fatal.