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.
Shepherd explained that stingrays — just like birds and fish — can feel pain. What appeared in the video to be a smiling face with expressive eyes was actually the stingray’s breathing and mouth openings. Its real eyes are located on the top of its head. When the fisherman touched its belly, the stingray wasn’t reacting playfully — it was struggling to breathe.
The researcher also criticized the common urge among tourists and divers to touch marine animals. He warned that sea life doesn’t experience human-like emotions and that most contact with humans causes fear or pain. His warning was supported by Ben Williams, a senior member of the World Society for the Protection of Animals.
The backlash against the video quickly grew beyond TikTok, catching the attention of major media outlets. Realizing how much controversy his video had caused — and likely not expecting such a reaction — mafishguy posted a follow-up video a few months later. This time, he showed himself releasing the same small stingray back into the ocean where it belonged.
