Stingray Safety Tips

July 30, 2020

Question: In a recent column, you mentioned that a visitor to a California beach is more likely to be injured by a stingray than by a shark. Do these encounters happen in shallow water or only if you’re swimming? What safety tips should I share with my kids? (Yvonne)

Answer: The round stingray (Urolophus halleri) is found throughout California, mostly in sandy areas and more common in warmer southern waters. Stingray injuries generally occur in shallow water, most often while people are wading. These small rays have a barbed spike on their tail that, if stepped on, can flip up and cause a very painful sting.

Stingray stings are indeed common – there were a record 176 people stung in one day at Huntington Beach in 2019! To help avoid being stung while walking in the surf, do the “stingray shuffle,” by shuffling your feet across the bottom rather than stepping. If you are stung, the best first aid is to immerse the wound in very hot (not scalding) water. Be sure to clean it to prevent infection.