As a child I vividly remember picking up jellyfish that had washed ashore, and playing with them, even throwing them at other children. Looking back with what I know now this was probably not such a good idea. Obviously the ones we were playing with were not dangerous, however, it is possible for a jellyfish to still sting even after a month of being washed up on shore. Even jellyfish that have been squashed, torn in two, or only have a single tentacle remaining on the beach have the ability to sting.
Although the thought of being stung by a jellyfish does not conjure up terrifying thoughts in your head, they are probably one of the seas silent menaces. Obviously they do not actively seek out their prey, but jellyfish have the ability to sting, harm, and sometimes even kill. There are a number of species of jellyfish that have this capability. It is interesting to note that there are over 200 different types of jellyfish, ranging from a tiny species about as big as a thimble, found in the Caribbean, right up to the Arctic Lions Mane Jellyfish, that has tentacles reaching up to one hundred feet in length, and weighing anything up to one ton. There are only a few species that we must watch out for that are dangerous to humans. One of these is the Box Jellyfish, which happens to be the most dangerous to mankind. They are found in the coastal waters of Australia from Queensland right around the top of Australia, and down to Broome in Western Australia. It is a fairly large creature weighing up to six kilograms with tentacles reaching 20-30cm across. It is very hard to see the Box Jellyfish in the sea, like most other jellyfish and therefore, is extremely dangerous as we do not see them coming. When a victim comes into contact with the Box Jellyfishes' tentacles it releases tiny harpoon type barbs which pierce the skin and can have up to a million stinging cells contained inside. Some of the effects of the Box Jellyfish sting can include; unconsciousness, confusion, collapse, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and sometimes death. It is of vital importance that first aid begins on these victims immediately because the venom from these creatures is very fast acting. Immediately the person should be removed from the water to prevent drowning and further possible contact with the jellyfish. Household vinegar seems to be the best remedy that a normal person can administer however, anti venom can be given by lifesavers or other trained medical people.
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