Although the clip has caused tenderness in some users, the reaction of the animal is not one of satisfaction.
In recent days, a TikTok video has gone viral in which it is seen that a stingray seems to laugh because of the ‘tickling’ of a fisherman. Although it has caused tenderness in many Internet users, the reaction of supposed joy of the fish is far from what is really happening.
The netizen who uploaded the publication, identified on the social network as @mafishguy, wrote that he was “tickling” the animal and was “making him laugh.” In the images it is seen that the reaction of the stingray simulates a human being when he receives tickles in the belly, because it seems that he is smiling.
The clip was uploaded on June 7 and, so far, has accumulated more than 114 million ‘views’ and more than 13 million ‘likes’. (We recommend: Herd of Elephants Naps During Epic Odyssey in China).
User opinions have been divided. While many found it a tender reaction and saw no evil, others claimed that the fish was suffocating and that is why it made that gesture. “The reaction is for defense”, “it seems that he is dying because he is out of the water for a long time”, “it is not funny, he is suffering” are some of the comments against the controversial footage.
In fact, Ben Williamson, director of programs for the US organization ‘World Animal Protection’, explained that in the video the stingray “is clearly suffocating to death”. “Like all fish, rays have the ability to feel pain and like all wild animals, they must live their lives in peace free from human interference and harmful hobbies such as sport fishing,” he added.
At the moment the author of the video has not commented on the criticism. (Also read: ‘Goodbye, furry’: they ban the entry of pets from Colombia to the US). (If you read us from the EL TIEMPO app, you can see the publication here). Striped fish, according to the ‘Lanzarote Aquarium’, in Spain, are present in both salt and fresh water.
Their bodies have a smooth build and are around 9 to 80 centimeters tall. These animals breathe thanks to gills located in the lower part of their body, which allow them to collect oxygen from the water.
According to the Spanish newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’, the reaction to the video is due to the creature’s suffocation from being out of its habitat for a long time. To this, in addition, is added the physical pain caused by the alleged “tickling” of the fisherman.
