Stingray injuries surge at Southern California beaches

Southern California is experiencing a significant surge in stingray injuries due to unusually warm ocean waters and a marine heatwave. At Bolsa Chica and Huntington State Beach, lifeguards have reported over 3,100 stingray incidents so far this year, which is at least double the number of reported cases from the same period last year.

Experts from California State University, Long Beach, suggest that El Niño conditions and warmer temperatures are driving higher numbers of stingrays closer to the coast. In one recent research effort near Seal Beach, hundreds of stingrays were collected in a single area.

To prevent injuries, officials recommend that beachgoers use the ‘stingray shuffle’—sliding their feet along the sandy bottom—when entering or exiting shallow water to avoid stepping on the creatures. For those already stung, lifeguards suggest soaking the affected area in hot water to help alleviate the pain caused by the neurotoxins in the stingray's barb.