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An adolescent boy has become the subject of online criticism after a video of him stepping on two stingrays was posted online recently.
Stepping on two stingrays
The video of the incident was reposted by @adminsgfollowsalll on Instagram on June 7, 2022.
At the start of the video, two small stingrays can be seen beneath the boy's feet.
The person behind the camera demands, "What the f*ck you doing, ch**bye?"
The boy appears to be standing on the wooden platform of a boardwalk, adjacent to a water body, evident from the orange lifebuoy on the railing.
Clad in a pair of navy blue slippers, he slides his feet back and forth.
At the camera person's request, the boy steps off both stingrays, revealing them to the camera.
When asked why he was stepping on stingrays, the boy promptly faces away from the camera, stops what he is doing, and moves off screen.
It is unclear if the boy and the camera person are acquainted, but the one-sided conversation was casual in tone.
Warning: Viewer discretion advised
Video from @adminsgfollowsalll/Instagram.
Unclear if stingrays were alive
It is unclear how the boy managed to procure both animals, and whether the animals were alive at that point.
Based on the pattern on their body – yellow spots ringed by dark circles cast against a brownish-beige skin – the two stingrays are likely to be motoro stingrays.
Additionally, the two stingrays could potentially be juveniles, as adults can grow up to 1m in diameter in the wild.
In the video, one of the stingrays was barely the width of the boy's slippers.
You can watch the video below:
About motoro stingrays
Motoro stingrays are a type of tropical freshwater ray that are sold in aquariums and reared as pets by fish hobbyists for ornamental purposes, according to The Straits Times.
These rays typically cost a few hundred dollars, but may fetch up to five figures on the market.
Native to South America, the species was first spotted in the wild in Singapore some 20 years ago, after some pet owners released them illegally into Singapore's waters.
Since then, the species has started breeding and has become one of the most common stingrays found locally.
Motoro stingrays have stings at the base of its tail that can inject venom when threatened. The venom can cause serious pain and even death.
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Top image screenshot from @adminsgfollowsalll/Instagram