Stingray Leaps Into Boat, Stabs Man in Chest

[Boomer]

A post on this article was moved from LBN to the Lounge, which seemed a trifle harsh. In view of the recent articles on elephant rampages, this stands out as additional evidence of unusual animal behavior.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Florida (Oct. 19) - A stingray jumped into the boat of an 81-year-old Florida man and stabbed him in the chest, leaving its long barb stuck in him, authorities said.

James Bertakis was in critical condition Thursday morning. The man was boating with his grown granddaughter and her friend Wednesday afternoon when the rare attack occurred. The women were able to steer the boat back to Bertakis' home in Lighthouse Point where they called authorities.

"It was a freak accident," said Lighthouse Point acting fire Chief David Donzella. "It's very odd that the thing jumped out of the water and stung him. We still can't believe it."

Bertakis was conscious when paramedics arrived. Surgeons were able to remove some of the barb, but were not able to locate the rest and feared it may have migrated. Bertakis suffered a closed chest wound, collapsed lung and may have to undergo open-heart surgery, rescue officials said.

The roughly 5-foot wide, 30-pound stingray died on the boat, firefighters said. They kept it in a plastic bag and on ice until Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers picked it up, Sullivan said.

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/stingray-leaps-into-boat-stabs-man-in/20061019043009990003?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Crosspost from DU Lounge:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x5750395

[C_U_L8R]

1. I think they are trying to tell us something...

like "stop fcking up the oceans"

[Big Kahuna]

2. Gaia is awakening, and is she ever pissed!

[Boomer]

3. At a slightly lower conceptual level...

As ecosystems begin to seriously stress out, higher levels aggression may well be a natural response. On the one hand, such as the elephants raping and killing rhinos, it may simply be an outlet for incredible anger and frustration, but it could also serve as a way of maximizing territory when resources are scarce.

If more and more species become atypically aggressive, we're all in for a rough ride.

[smirkymonkey]

10. Do you think that is what is happening with humans as well?

We seem to be getting more and more aggressive and violent. I know the U.S. is at the forefront, but we don't have a monopoly on violence - it seems to be increasing everywhere in every part of the world.

I wonder if we are ALL reacting to environmental stress (which, of course, is mainly the fault of humans) but I have even noticed this increased aggression amongst individuals I encounter on a daily basis - fights on subways, grocery stores, on the streets (not me, but I see it more frequently) - I just don't ever recall experiencing such a hostile environment.

[acmavm]

5. I believe that you're right. There is something here that's damn sick of

us 'humans', the pinnacle of evolution.

:sarcasm:

[kedrys]

4. Evidence for Rupert Sheldrake's morphogenetic field theory?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphogenetic_field

I'm just sayin'. I'm far from convinced.

[onenote]

6. a spotted eagle ray doing what spotted eagle rays sometimes do

Nothing shocking about it -- spotted eagle rays are known to breach on occasion. I've observed it first hand (breaching within a couple of feet of the boat I was on). While I've never heard of one landing in a boat, it doesn't seem surprising that it might happen.

[Boomer]

7. So the attack was incidental?

What I assume you're suggesting is that the ray breached and THEN found itself in what it considered a dangerous situation and acted appropriately to defend itself. That's certainly plausible.

The other scenario is that it breached in order to attack. Certainly a dramatic event to contemplate, but possibly less plausible than the latter.

[onenote]

8. I don't think they breach with the intent of "attacking"

So, I strongly suspect it was a situation where it breached, landed in the boat, and freaked.
There doesn't seem to be a clear understanding of why rays breach..some believe it might simply be accidental behavior.
Anyway, here are some great pics of rays (not just eagle rays) breaching:
http://www.malbertphoto.com/mobulas1.html





While I've never had a ray land in my boat, I've had a variety of fish leap into my boat and they are never very happy about it...

[ocean girl]

9. I live just north of this area on the ocean and I've witnessed

rays leaping from the water just a few feet from the shore.

It's really cool to see - kind of like a shooting star - just nature doing its thing.