Scuba Geek

Stingray tours to continue despite Irwins death September 7, 2006

Posted by Andy Carroll in : News , trackback

I am sure that all the press will be shouting loud about how dangerous stingrays are, and they will probably be as hated as sharks for a while, but some tour operators in Grand Cayman, have stated that they will continue the trips to feed the stingrays at what is called stingray city. Good show, as although it is tragic that Steve died, I am hopeful that his wish would be that people could still enjoy the ocean, and the marine life therein. From CNN;

“I think the phenomenon is totally different to what you encounter in the wild,” said Mark Button, an operator for Moby Dick Tours, which for more than 20 years has been taking tourists to a location where 50 stingrays await handouts of squid from their mammalian visitors.

“The fish have been hand-fed for more than two decades,” he said. “Therefore, they’re in a different state of affairs when it comes to dealing with humans.”

None of the company’s tour participants — whose numbers average 600 per day — has ever suffered “any serious injuries,” he said. “They have the odd sting now and again.”