“Charging” Stingray Video Was a Hoax

Most good jokes have a little sting to them.

That’s what marine biologists, media outlets, and diving experts found out when they discovered the man who allegedly “attacked” a stingray was merely having a laugh with his daughter and the shadow of her ray-like kite.

Perhaps the biggest joke was on those who accused the man of animal cruelty when they saw he intended to duke it out with a stingray.

The video shows the man diving after the shadow and then fleeing when the supposed animal starts chasing him down. Three days after the video appeared on YouTube and earned more than 250,000 views, the man has contacted the Gold Coast Bulletin via email to explain the gag.

The man did not want to be named but told the Bulletin his daughter was flying a kite near Sea World when they noticed the shadow and filmed the prank. The man sent the clip to three of his friends as a joke, and it immediately ended up online.

To add a last laugh to the joke, the man assured the Bulletin, “No kites were harmed in the making of this video.”