In Search Of The Bizarre And Dangerous Stone Fish (VIDEO)

In this video from "Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr," the National Geographic host goes in search of the venomous stonefish in Australia.

Comments

[Niasia]

04:19 PM on 06/15/2009

Man people of a lighter hue are crazy! There is no way I would be swimming in the ocean LOOKING for a fish that could kill me...just too many things in my everyday life that pose danger! I do love to learn about this stuff though but there is no amount of money to get me myself down there doing the research...just no way!

[marlovian]

12:59 PM on 06/15/2009

The Stonefish News - In Search of the Bizarre and Dangerous Human!

[NelsonBig]

01:49 PM on 06/15/2009

They congregate in D.C.

[djgonebad]

07:36 PM on 06/15/2009

In the GOP section of Congress.

[DSOTM]

11:50 AM on 06/15/2009

I thought Ann Coulter was the most venomous stone fish.

[Foxnewsisajoke]

12:59 PM on 06/13/2009

Wow, an f-ing stingray! It is so rare to see them on the ocean floor!! Oh, no wait. Actually, they are quite common, sorry for almost drowning myself in excitement, while at the same time annoying the hell out of everyone else.

[JohnJames]

12:20 PM on 06/13/2009

When did National Geographic start gearing itself toward the ten year-old boy market? Sad.

[NelsonBig]

01:50 PM on 06/15/2009

When the US adult intelligence hit that level.

[johnie2xs]

05:20 PM on 06/16/2009

Is is THAT high?

[DonCosenza]

02:45 AM on 06/13/2009

Looks like it came down with a case of geodermic granititis.

[kwaut lizard]

02:44 AM on 06/13/2009

National Geo used to be informative, now it just feels like it has to sucker you into learning something through sensationalism wrapped in a 2-second cutaway format to keep people interested.

What a shame. Lost another one to America's attention deficit disorder epidemic.

[grammargirl]

07:26 AM on 06/13/2009

You know that mere "informative" doesn't sell anymore, right? They can either adapt to short attention spans and reading habits of a new generation, or remain cast in the same mould, become fossilized, and share a similar fate of so many other publications.

[xamphear]

09:42 AM on 06/13/2009

The BBC's HD natural history programs are both modern, compelling and non-sensational. There are more options out there than the two you suggest.

[Fernando]

11:25 AM on 06/13/2009

PBS is pretty darn good and their super interesting documentaries are uninterrupted by commercial breaks. It's about directing talent.

[Fernando]

11:17 AM on 06/13/2009

I agree. I used to sit my daughter with me to watch one documentary a day but then everything (in terms of physics and cosmology) was told in terms of gloom and doom and end of days mentality. Ironically, just like you'd expect from a church! I guess they too figure out that fear sells. I didn't sit my daughter through them anymore, we switched to PBS.

[bartonfink]

12:24 AM on 06/13/2009

that was very stressful to watch. does everything have to be so graphic now?

thank you CSI and eli roth et al.

[Rockwell]

12:00 AM on 06/13/2009

So why is it that nearly all land and sea creatures in freakin Austraila are either poisonous or a maneater? C'mon, even the duck billed platypus has poisonous spurs. And if you set foot in the ocean you'll be devoured by a great white or sent to screaming writhing death by box jelly fish stings. Wouldn't be suprised if the Koala's have venemous fangs.

On places to visit before I die, Austrailia is near the bottom, just below North Korea.

[Grabit]

03:29 AM on 06/13/2009

On the contrary, I'd love to visit there. But I'd be afraid of some of the pubs.

[Smirk]

07:06 AM on 06/13/2009

Come now--what's a little venomous spur among friends?

[southwindow]

11:56 PM on 06/12/2009

I hate these shows-none of these animals are dangerous unless you go to where they live and f-ck with them

[lwkite]

01:18 PM on 06/13/2009

So true, I was a diving instructor in Hawaii and saw hundreds of Scorpion fish (Stone fish), yes people, they are all over Hawaii. They are on every reef. All they do is hide and eat little fish. Your neghbors dog is a much greater risk to you.

[tiredofthesameoldstuff]

01:57 PM on 06/13/2009

They are not the same family. Scorpionfish are a family of hundreds of species such as lionfish which are put in aquariums and which are also lethal.

Stonefish belong to the family Synanceiidae while scorpionfish belong to the family Scorpaenidae.

[derekc06]

11:01 PM on 06/12/2009

Worst case scenario. So what's the probable case scenario? And 26 glands do not equal 26 chances to get stung. There's 2 per spiney thing. You can only get stung if you hit a spiney thing. That's 18 chances. No need for hyperbole.

[BillMelater]

12:59 AM on 06/13/2009

"Oh, I never would have seen that in a million years!"

aw, c'mon

[derekc06]

11:26 AM on 06/13/2009

it just annoyed me that's all... and the screaming at the sting ray...

[derekc06]

11:27 AM on 06/13/2009

and i was genuinely curious about what usually happens to people after they get stung by one of these things and the guy failed to answer that for me which annoyed me even more.

[StylesBitchly]

10:41 PM on 06/12/2009

The black foot is naaaaasty!

[c1ee]

10:34 PM on 06/12/2009

Is anyone else sick of American documentaries' fixation with 'DANGEROUS' and 'EXTREME' animals? I only watch BBC for that reason.

[derekc06]

11:27 AM on 06/13/2009

yes! i am.

[bmermaid]

10:23 PM on 06/12/2009

Oh.
I thought the caption said "stoned fish", like the one about the dog.
Never mind.

[JimBozo]

12:54 AM on 06/13/2009

Same here, Dude. Let's hit that thang again!

[BillMelater]

12:56 AM on 06/13/2009

1 track mind...

[bmermaid]

02:14 PM on 06/13/2009

I hate to disappoint, but I was just kidding. I haven't smoked pot in 30 years. Not that I'm against it.

[turkeyfish]

09:29 PM on 06/12/2009

Interesting but not as informative as it could have been. The venom is actually a widespread trait among scorpaenoid fishes, which include all the scorpionfishes, lionfishes or turkeyfishes, and waspfishes, although the glands in Synanceia are among the largest and best developed of the several hundred species in these groups.

Should have mentioned that the toxin is a protein that can be denatured with very hot water, probably the only thing one can do if immediate medical care is not quickly available. Victims should be treated for shock.

Also, the species photoed is Synanceia horrida. Although very venomous and dangerous this species is somewhat smaller than its congener Syanceia verrucosa, which is more commonly found in open and offshore reefs. These can reach a couple of feet in size and hence contain much more venom per fish and per gland, making them much more dangerous.

Enjoyed the video though.

[tiredofthesameoldstuff]

11:04 PM on 06/12/2009

Well the stonefish is actually a delicacy once cooked the flesh is non poisonous and if served raw the spines once removed there is no danger. You have to be carefull when fishing the critter and then removing the spines with a certain special scissors. It's a delicacy that costs several hundred bucks in a Japanese restaurant.

[Grabit]

03:33 AM on 06/13/2009

I'm only being sarcastic and I hope no worse than Leno or Letterman and not culturally insensitive, but only the Japanese seem willing to spend hundreds on fish that might kill them.