Short-Tailed Stingray are curious and unaggressive animals, and often come up to divers and swimmers to investigate, and can even be trained to be hand fed where feeding them is a popular attraction in some places. They are very unlikely to attack humans.

However, in very rare situations when these animals are harrassed or feel threatened, they defend themselves villigantly with the sharp, venomous barb located at the base of their tail. The barb is 30cm long, serrated, and incredibly sharp with the ability to penetrate through clothes, wetsuits and footwear with relative ease. While the venom of the animal is not potent, the barb itself can inflict severe, sometimes even fatal wounds. The most famous example of this is when Steve Irwin was pierced through the chest by a startled Short-Tailed Stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. 

As mentioned, the venom from the animal is not potent, and at worst will result in extreme pain and swelling. The primary risk of stings from this animal is damage to vital organs, major blood-loss, and secondary infection such as sepsis or tetanus.

I will re-itterare, that these animals are NOT aggressive in any regard, typically have good relationships with people, and should not be feared. But will defend themselves if they feel threatened. A large majority of stings from this animal on people occur when people swim too close to above, or stand on a ray camouflaged and burrowed in the sand. As such it is advised to observe the animal from a safe distance, and not apporach it if you see one in the wild.

During the summer seasons, Short-Tailed Stingrays migrare en masse to the 'Poor Knights Islands' off the coast of New Zealand to reproduce. 

Mating occurs in the midwater collum, where the flowing water current assists male rays in maintaining their posistion. Receptive females may be followed by multiple male rays, which will attempt to bite and grip her disc (body). One or two males who succesfully manage to hold onto the female will be dragged around by her for a time before she accedes and allows a male to mate with her. The male will then flip himself upside-down and swim underneath the female where reproduction will occur. Females will then give birth to 6-10 live babies known as 'Pups' (adorable, right?) as the summer progesses, males are seen assisting in this process by nuding the female's underside with their snouts. Females are ready to mate again shortly after giving birth.

If you, or a friend is barbed by a Short-Tailed Stingray action should be taken immediatley. The affected persons should be swiftly removed from the water and medical attention should be sought immediatley. The ray would have likely left the area at this point as the barbs from this animal will break off from their tails after a sting is delivered allowing escape from their threat. It CRUCIAL that the stingray's barb be left in the recipient until medical proffesionals are available that can treat the residual wound and remove the serrated barb safely. Removing the barb pre-emptivley could result in massive blood-loss as there is no longer a solid object restricing blood-flow at the site of the inscision. This is the mistake that killed Steve Irwin, as he removed the barb before medical attention could arrive casuing him to die of blood-loss. 

It is reccomended that the wound be bathed in saltwater, disinfected if possible and bandaged to prevent further blood-loss and secondary infection. 

Stings from this animal are excruciatingly painful, and the recipent will be extremely uncomfortable during the process.