It’s no secret that people are attracted to colourful, pretty things, including animals.
But that doesn’t mean that everything that’s colourful and pretty is safe to be approached or touched.
The Pusat Rujukan & Repositori Laut China Selatan took to their Facebook page to warn people of the presence of Portuguese Man o’War at the Bukit Keluang beach in Besut, Terengganu.
They wrote, “Portuguese Man o’War (Physalia physalis) or known as Obor-obor api beracun (in Malay), has been found stranded along the Bukit Keluang beach, Besut, Terengganu. It is hoped that all visit will cooperate to be careful and not touch these poisonous jellyfish.”
While these jellyfish are rarely deadly to humans (the chances are still there so don’t play play), it is still not encouraged to touch them as their sting can still be excruciating.
“Its long tentacles deliver a painful sting, which is venomous and powerful enough to kill fish or, rarely, humans.”
“Despite its appearance, the Portuguese Man o’War is not a true jellyfish but a siphonophore, which is not actually a single multicellular organism (true jellyfish are single organisms), but a colonial organism made up of specialised individual animals (of the same species) called zooids or polyps,” they added in a separate post.
And just so we’re all clear, just because they’re stranded on the beach doesn’t mean they can’t sting you!
So hey, if you’re planning on visiting the beach, especially with young family members, please make sure to prevent them (and yourselves) from touching the pretty, poisonous siphonophore.
Have you been stung by a Portuguese Man o’War before? Do feel free to share your experience in the comment section.
Also read: Environmental Activists Claim Company Hired Gangsters To Attack Them At Perak Beach
