Soaring stingray numbers off California beaches drive record injuries

No Comment Video. Soaring stingray numbers off California beaches drive record injuries Copy/paste the link below: Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Updated: 13/08/2026 - 10:04 GMT+2 California is seeing unusually large numbers of round stingrays near its beaches, as warmer coastal waters and an expected strong El Niño draw the animals closer to shore. At Seal Beach, 45 km southeast of downtown Los Angeles, researcher Chris Lowe and his team caught dozens measuring and tagging them before release. Lowe estimates that more than 16,000 stingrays can gather in an area the size of a football field in a single day. The species has concentrated at the site for at least 60 years, helped by warm water discharged from a nearby power plant and fine sediments that provide suitable habitat. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The increase is also being felt by swimmers. Two state beaches near Huntington Beach have recorded more than 3,100 sting incidents so far in 2026, about twice the total for all of 2025. According to Chris Lowe, Southern California has the highest number of stingray injuries, largely because round stingrays bury themselves in the sand and may strike when people step on them. He expects incidents to increase as El Niño warms coastal waters and brings more subtropical rays north from Baja California. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says a marine heatwave has already persisted off parts of the US West Coast for an unusually long period. El Niño Global warming and climate change USA California Heatwave Ocean Top stories Now playing Next Soaring stingray numbers off California beaches drive record injuries Now playing Next Timelapse of partial solar eclipse seen from Royal Observatory Greenwich Now playing Next Colombia: "scene of horror" as Pereira rescuers search rubble Now playing Next Latest news bulletin | August 13th, 2026 – Morning Now playing Next Half a million visitors flock to Spain’s path of total solar eclipse Now playing Next Rare eclipse plunges parts of Europe into darkness Now playing Next 'I think we will keep it,' Trump says about control of Hormuz strait Now playing Next Music brings cultures together In partnership with Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan Now playing Next Putin threatens retaliatory seizures of European ships Now playing Next How to protect your eyes while watching the solar eclipse Now playing Next Solar eclipse plunges large swathe of Spain into total darkness Now playing Next Solar eclipse: How will animals react when the sun goes dark? Now playing Next Tourist guides raise the alarm as Europe braces for another heatwave Now playing Next Solar eclipse plunges parts of Spain into total darkness in first such event in a century Now playing Next Latest news bulletin | August 12th, 2026 – Evening Now playing Next Grand Voyager | Exploring Switzerland and its wonders ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT No Comment Quake leaves Colombian towns in ruins as Valle del Cauca counts dead No Comment Colombia quake rescuers save woman after 36 hours trapped in rubble No Comment Moment Cali hospital collapses after powerful Colombia earthquake No Comment Europe scrambles for eclipse glasses as solar power output set to dip Europe News Extreme heat: Half of Europe's population exposed to temperatures exceeding 30C Culture news ‘The Office’ star British actor Lucy Davis reveals incurable cancer diagnosis Europe News Germany beefs up its intelligence services as threat from 'foreign powers' rises Lifestyle Fragrant fortunes: Doha's Teeb Al Hazm plans London debut as Gulf perfumes gain wider appeal Europe News Mount Etna eruption: Catania airport closes and ash cloud reaches as far as Libya Tech News British driver sets speed record in hydrogen-powered car Health news E-scooters ‘public health challenge’ as number of injuries involving kids soared 15 times in UK Europe News Two killed in Kherson as Ukraine hits Russia's Black Sea naval base ADVERTISEMENT Europe News Europe readies for total solar eclipse- So, what will happen in the once-in-a-generation stellar spectacle? Europe News Putin threatens retaliatory seizures of European ships The Cube Fake videos and false allegations target candidates in French 2027 presidential election Europe News Morocco accuses Spain of assaulting migrants crossing into Ceuta and claims sovereignty over enclave Europe News Italy: Po River runs low amid prolonged heat and drought Colombia Colombia: Rescuers search for survivors after 7.6 magnitude earthquake kills 216 people Nature Anxious dogs and silent birds: What happens to animals during a total solar eclipse? Russia Russia frees former US Marine Robert Gilman after more than four years in prison ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT