Young Aussie's 'crazy' encounter with world's most venomous fish
Miller Wilson, a wildlife enthusiast, filmed himself handling a deadly stonefish, known to be fatal to humans.
A young Aussie has shocked viewers on social media after sharing a video showing his bold move in the water. Miller Wilson, 20, appeared fearless when he reached under a rock and pulled out a dangerous and deadly stonefish with his bare hands — a move that's "simply not safe," an expert told Yahoo News Australia.
The wildlife enthusiast is no stranger to wild encounters outdoors, but this one "sends the wrong message to his viewers" according to Professor Culum Brown from Macquarie University.
"It looks to me like the kid in the video knows what he is doing. He handles the fish very well and stays well away from the dorsal spines," he said. "But it still sends the wrong message to viewers. It is simply not safe to handle these fish."
In the video posted on TikTok, the 20-year-old is seen kneeling in the shallow water at an undisclosed location. He admits he's "just spotted the biggest stonefish" which are the most venomous fish known, and can be fatal to humans.
"It's the world's most venomous fish that I've seen sitting under this rock ledge right here," he continued before diving headfirst into the water to get a closer look.
"Alright, got him," he continued after scooping it up with his bare hands. "Take a look at that. That is the world's most venomous fish. Pretty big one as well."
He described it as "mean looking," admitting it was a "pretty crazy" find.
Why are stonefish dangerous?
Stonefish are considered dangerous and even deadly when stepped on which is most often how humans stumble upon the harmful fish. Often, they're easy to miss as they camouflage well in sand.
"Stonefish are found in tropical waters and have a bunch of strong, sharp dorsal spines (spines along their back) which they erect when disturbed," Professor Brown said.
"Each spine has an associated venom gland or two that squirt the venom along the spine and into the unsuspecting victim."
He said the pain caused by standing on a stonefish is "excruciating" and can cause muscular paralysis, breathing difficulties and even cardiac arrest. Professor Bryan Fry from the University of Queensland, an expert in venom, agreed that a sting from a stonefish is particularly "brutal".
The key to treating a sting is hot water and immediate medical attention. "Hot water is something that will stop the pain and stop the damage," Professor Fry said.
"Stonefish and box jellyfish have the dubious distinction of being the only animals in the world that can kill you just from the pain alone."
Queensland dad's extreme reaction after stepping on stonefish
Fearless woman's 'incredible' encounter with Australia's deadly sea creatures
Stonefish are 'landmines of rock pools'
The young bloke's move shocked many who viewed the video. "Why are you in bare feet and no gloves," said one.
"World's most venomous fish, let me just grab it with my hands," another mocked. While another detailed the pain endured after accidentally standing on one.
Another video posted to Wilson's page in 2022 shows him handling not one but two stonefish while navigating a rockpool at an unknown Australian location.
He demonstrated how their venom is released from their spine using part of a discarded thong. He described them as "literal landmines of the rock pools".
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
