Man O' War Invasion Off the coast of Northern Ireland
In the recent years about 1000 sightings have been observed of Portuguese man of war along the coast of Northern Ireland. This has caused some amount of fear and scepticism among the residents of an impending invasion. It is not clear as to what it the reason for the sudden surge in the number of these creatures in this coast. This is because usually the Man of war is seen in warm tropical climates such as the water of the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Hence it has caused some amount of concern among the marine biologist there.
The Portuguese man of war is not exactly a jellyfish. It is basically a combination of 4 different organisms working together as one. They are called Polyps or medusoids. They can survive independently but here they are joined together doing their work in unison as a team. They are also associated physiologically. Some of these polyps may not contain certain structures which perform some specific functions and this is the reason for them to join together so that they are able to survive. These creatures are free floating organisms which are beautiful to look at and equally dangerous. This is a paradox of nature and is the reason they are dreaded so much. Some of the stings from related creatures can actually be deadly. Even though the Man of war is called a jellyfish, in reality it is not a true jelly fish to the term since it is not one organism but a mixture of many. The capacity of the man of war to swarm is the biggest danger that it poses to other creatures. This is because a creature which is caught in a swarm is surely destined to die in it. The toxins which will get injected into it are far too great for any living organism to withstand. To explain their effect, we should see the effect that a single sting has on a human being.
The stinging cells are called nematodes. These are small cell like structures which are fixed to the long tentacles of the creature. The nematodes or nematocysts will lodge into the skin and release the neurotoxin. It can cause excruciating pain. Rashes and swelling are common. Even though medical attention is not compulsory the pain is so extreme that a person will be forced to see a doctor. Hence we can only imagine what a swarm of these creatures can do to the human population. Hence when ever there is a sighting of this animal it is taken very seriously. One of the risks which is involved with sighting is that if they come closer to the beaches, they can harm swimmers. When a person is stung while swimming, the intense pain can cause disorientation which may lead to drowning. , hence a warning for jellyfish sighting should be taken very seriously. The sightings in Ireland may turn out to be a swarm as it has been seen in Australia and other such countries.
Learn more about Jellyfish, different Jellyfish Species, general Jellyfish Information, Jellyfish Pets and Jellyfish Safety