The internet fell in love with a ‘giggling’ stingray — until scientists spoke out. What looked cute at first turned into a serious debate about animal stress and marine life ethics 
Find out what was really happening — full story in the article below!
TikTok user mafishguy went viral after posting a video that gained millions of views in just a few hours. He works as a commercial fisherman, and in the clip, he showed a small stingray reacting to being touched. The stingray’s movement looked like a baby laughing when tickled, which many viewers found adorable.
But even though the video became extremely popular — it’s now been watched nearly 167 million times — not everyone saw it as funny. As Lemurov.net explains, the viral post sparked a wave of heated discussion online.
Many people were upset and left angry comments. They accused the fisherman of being cruel. Viewers believed the stingray wasn’t “laughing” at all — instead, they said the animal was suffering because it had been pulled out of its natural environment.
The comment section quickly filled with debates and reposts, as more users voiced concern about animal mistreatment. A few days later, marine researcher Aaron Shepherd shared a detailed response to the video, siding with those who defended the stingray. He confirmed that when sea creatures like stingrays are taken out of the water, they experience extreme stress. Touching them in that condition, he said, only adds to their discomfort.
