In Huntington Beach, California, a notable increase in stingray incidents is becoming a familiar scene at popular beaches like Bolsa Chica. This spike correlates with a marine heat wave attracting more stingrays and beachgoers. Jake Hemann, a 31-year-old tourist from New Mexico, experienced this firsthand. While learning to surf, he accidentally stepped on a stingray, initially mistaking it for a sharp stick. The resulting pain radiated up to his ankle as he soaked his foot in hot water at a lifeguard station.
Bolsa Chica and Huntington State Beaches have documented over 3,100 stingray injuries this year, doubling the previous year’s total. At Huntington Beach’s 3.5-mile stretch, more than 2,000 stings have been recorded, surpassing last year’s figures. Similarly, San Diego beaches reported over 900 incidents during the first half of the year, the highest for this period in five years, according to lifeguard data.
State park superintendent Bryan R. Etnyre attributes this rise to warmer ocean temperatures exceeding 60°F consistently throughout the year. Such temperatures attract stingrays closer to the shore, especially with reduced populations of ray predators like sharks, sea lions, and giant sea bass.
“We’re definitely seeing an increase,” said Etnyre.
Round stingrays, native from Panama to Southern California, thrive in warm waters near the shore. Chris Lowe, marine biology professor and Shark Lab director at California State University, Long Beach, explained the impact of climate change on this phenomenon. Human-induced climate change has elevated ocean temperatures, and a persistent marine heat wave along the West Coast compounds the situation. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed an El Niño formation, expected to reach historic strength, that warms parts of the Pacific, influencing global weather patterns.
Post-pandemic, more individuals flock to beaches for outdoor activities, especially when the water is invitingly warm. Lifeguards advise beachgoers to shuffle their feet to avoid standing on stingrays, which react by whipping their venomous tails upward. Lowe notes that in Southern California, lifeguards manage up to 10,000 stingray cases annually.
At Seal Beach’s “ray bay,” near a power plant’s warm water outflow, such incidents appear stable. Researchers there captured around 200 stingrays using a 75-foot net, illustrating the dense stingray population lurking just beneath the sand. The presence of El Niños typically sees an uptick in southern stingrays nearing the coast, with record numbers anticipated this year.
Lowe collaborates with television networks to develop a stingray advisory to minimize incidents and protect stingrays from harm. Apps inform beachgoers of areas with high sting counts. A new line of surf booties offers barb resistance, yet swimmers are advised to tread softly.
Dr. Christanne Coffey of UC San Diego Health advises that stingrays’ most common remedy is hot water soaking. Medical consultation becomes necessary if symptoms like redness or swelling persist after four to five days, potentially indicating an infection or lodged barb. Swimmer Allen Lowry recounted a sting while with his grandson at the beach. Despite this, he remains undeterred, continuing his thrice-weekly swims. While stingray encounters are painful, recovery is quick, with most feeling fine the following day.