Apparently, a larger than usual number of dead stingrays have been found recently in Australia.

Irwin's friends and colleagues fear that the stingrays are being killed as revenge for the death of the Crocodile Hunter... They remind the public that this is not what Irwin would have wanted. They also suspect that the killings could be because of fear for the animal.

Locally, interest in the stingray exhibit at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks has shot up since the attack on Irwin...

Most likely being killed because of Irwin's death.

Classic example of group mentallity. Why don't we just try the sting ray in a court of law, and after that we can send it to the guillotine. We'll call it the Stingray Rebellion.

Maybe people are just more likely to notice dead stingrays and actually report them now, with them fresh on their minds?

That could be it.