Stingray strike results in sunbather's death
A woman in the Florida Keys died today when a stingray jumped from the water and stung knocked her down as she was sunbathing on a boat. Judy Kay Zagorski, 57, reportedly fell backward and died of head trauma. From CBS4.com:
UPDATE: CNN has more details on the story. Link
Link to CBS4.com, Link to Cryptomundo post for more context"It's a common behavior for Eagles Rays to go 'aerial', or breach the surface," said Robert Rose, a curator with the Miami Seaquarium. "There are many reasons why they do it. They could be fleeing a predator or trying to dislodge a parasite..."
In South Florida waters, Rose said spotted Eagle Rays can grow up to 12 to 15 feet, from nose to tail, with a width or wingspan of 6 to 8 feet.
UPDATE: CNN has more details on the story. Link
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That's it, man! They got Steve Irwin, and now they've tasted blood and want more!
Ray sting peace.
I (and CNN and now apparently your source) am confused. Did she die from a sting or a blow to the head? Is it one of those things where the sting would have killed her, but she passed out and hit her head first and that's what really did it? Every report I've heard of this seems to indicate both the sting and the head trauma as the cause of death.
I, for one, welcome our new Dasyatidae overlords.
Actually, the reports aren't clear that she was stung. It reads more like the ray knocked her off her feet and she hit her head on something and that killed her.
It'll probably be cleared up in a day or two.
The ray's sting is dorsal at the base of the tail, and is rarely lethal. Unless the ray rotated 180 degrees about two axes while in the air it would be difficult for the sting to hit her. More likely the ray knocked her over, she hit her head and died, which is what the story here seems to report.
Steve Irwin's death was pretty much Darwin Award quality, insofar as death by misadventure is much more likely when you jump into the water and start harassing wild animals. This is just a dreadfully unfortunate accident.
I saw one of these while snorkeling off Key Largo as kid. Decades later, it's still one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever encountered in the wild.
I'm conflicted ... obviously it sucks to be killed in an accident under pretty much any circumstances. What I'm having trouble deciding is if it's better or worse to go out in such a freak happenstance that you become the "wacky story of the moment" in the global media machine. Sure, it's kind of cool to have the whole world take notice of your passing, but then again, if they're going to make Steve Irwin jokes and remember you forever as "that lady killed by a stingray," maybe not . . .
From the CBS4 page:
"Initial reports had indicated that the animal's sharp defensive barb, located near the base of its tail, had lodged in the woman's neck. Those reports turned out to be unfounded."
Eagle rays aren't even aggressive; this was a freak accident.
Details seem to still be coming. I think you're correct that they're now saying it knocked her over but didn't sting her. I made the correction. Thanks!
Wasting away in a long-term care facility vs. being killed instantly by a flying death ray. I know which one I'd pick.
Jesus Christ, it's a stingray! Get in the boat!
Aquaman is a dick.
Are we to presume that is the unfortunate woman's cap sitting on the ray? Maybe that's all he was after.
LOL - "Flying Death Ray"
In fact, a +1 for the last three comments!
The headline is misleading. The picture and story are about a Spotted Eagle Ray. Stingrays are a different species.
A stingray, btw, is what killed Steve Irwin, not an eagle ray.
It doesn't say what happened to the ray, although from the pictures I would guess it stayed on the boat and died. I hope that's not true.
Websearch says that spotted eagle rays are sometimes known as spotted stingrays, and that they do have stinging spines. So the (corrected) report isn't completely wrong, just less than precise.
Spotted eagle rays are beautiful and graceful creatures, when they aren't colliding with humans or objecting to being abused. Had the pleasure of swimming along with a smaller one, some years ago.
I suppose this incident is the nautical equivalent of having a deer leap out in front of your car -- it isn't entirely your fault, and isn't entirely the deer's fault, and it may not always be avoidable, but the result isn't good for anyone.
(Q: What do you get when you try to cross a deer with a Rabbit?
A: Venison and a totaled volkswagon.)
It looks like they tossed the hat on top for scale.
Rays with friggin' sharks!
so, if you happened upon someone who could tell your future, and this person told you "you're going to die by flying sting ray", would you ever in a million years think it would actually HAPPEN? i mean, what are the odds? helluva way to go!
While I do feel sorry for her family and stuff... There's just something embarassing about being taken out by something that is generally entirely harmless.
Though not as embarassing as it is when you're a professional animal handler.
I sense an aquatic conspiracy...
First they kill Steve Irwin in the water, now they're killing people in boats.
We'll only know for sure when a ray hitches a ride to Kansas to attack somebody.
The impact was so abrupt that the woman's hat remained in place as she was knocked out from under it.
First, walruses after our buckets. Now, eagle rays after our hats. This has to stop!
why isn't our federal government doing more to eradicate these menaces, instead of whatever the fuck it's doing now?
#16 I rather suspect that is exactly what happened. How rare are these things, anyway? The headline could just as easily read "Spotted Eagle Ray killed by boat".
This was a sad accident, but an accident nonetheless. Let's not lose track of the real enemy, folks.
Wow, ok. If it's you're time to go, can you really think of a more spectacular way to do it? In the afterlife-
"What did you die from?"
"Heart attack"
"Car accident"
"Stroke"
"Flying stingray"
...
"...Dude..."
"The ocean doesn't want me today."
--Tom Waits
What a terrible shame for both ray and human. I had the pleasure of seeing a few of these guys while diving just a few weeks ago, and they're gorgeous, goreous animals - and also, incredibly skittish. This was not in any way an act of aggression.
When is the autopsy due?
That will be 'God' in this case.
Not good if it was a stinging death, but I doubt it was. It sounds so unlikely that a animal can dive forward into someone and turn upside down and sting them. Totally unbelievable to think that and the autopsy will prove that. I just wonder why 10 days later we are still waiting for it ?