Giant 80kg Stingray Caught in Bedok Jetty; Took 8 Men to Pull It Up

Do you need to travel out to the big open sea to catch anything bigger than a roach?

If you believe that’s needed, this story is out to prove you wrong.

Giant 80kg Stingray Caught in Bedok Jetty; Took 8 Men to Pull It Up

On 30 Jul 2020, this was what was pulled out of the waters at Bedok Jetty.

In a Facebook post, Raj Bharathi claims that the stingray was so heavy it required “8 strong men” to pull it up.

They managed to pull it up to the shore at about 10pm on 30 Jul 2020.

The Uncle Who Caught The Stingray is a Pro

According to MustShareNews, the uncle who caught the stingray is actually a pro called Alo.

He’s a veteran angler who has a Facebook page and website to share his angling adventures.

And it turns out this isn’t his first time getting big catches on the shores of Singapore.

He has caught a 30kg Shovel Nose Shark earlier this year as well as cobia and various stingrays over the years.

He also answers questions and posts fishing tutorials on his website.

Not The Biggest Fish Caught & Reported In The Media

According to a Straits Times report back in 2017, bigger fishes have been caught, albeit it’s not on the mainland, off Pedra Branca, the easternmost point of Singapore.

In 2014, a restaurant owner caught 2.3m-long Queensland grouper in the waters. The fish weighed 172kg and 8 men were required to pull it onboard and clean it.

In 2013, also off Pedra Branca, a 2m-long Queensland grouper was caught. It weighed 270kg and needed 7 men and a forklift to carry.

In 2009, a 2.75m-long guitar shark was caught in the waters near Changi Naval Base.

Marine experts have said, then, that there are many large marine animals such as the whale shark, sawfish, billfish and false killer whale which can be found in Singapore waters.

Singapore waters are cool, eh?

But read on before you sign on to be a professional fisher.

Another Dangerous Animal In S’pore Waters

Extremely venomous, sightings of box jellyfish have been reported in the waters off Palawan Beach, Pulau Seringat, Lazarus Island, Tuas, One Degree 15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Tuas and East Coast Park since March.

These tentacled creatures have stung at least two people, inflicting unimaginable pain and purple scars that run the length of the leg.

And they have been so “influential” in their cause that authorities have since warned people not to swim at Sentosa, Lazarus Island and St John’s Island for at least two weeks after the jellyfish were first sighted in local waters.

Maybe they’ve swum over to avoid the coronavirus only to realise we’re much worse here.

According to Dr Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine branch of NParks’ National Biodiversity Centre, a sting from the box jellyfish inflicts extreme pain and can result in severe hypertension (high blood pressure), extreme lower back pain, nausea, cardiac and respiratory arrest.

It can also prove lethal in specific cases.

Apparently, their venom contains toxins that assault the heart, nervous system and skin cells.

Each tentacle is said to have around 5,000 stinging cells, which are activated not by touch, but the existence of a “chemical on the outer layer of its prey” – which is our skin, of course.

You can find out more here.

Other than the danger in the sea, the beaches themselves aren’t safe too. And by that, I mean the crowds who don’t believe that Covid-19 exists.

So make sure you take care of yourself when you’re out and about, eh?