'The Best Job in the World' and He Still Got Stung by a Jellyfish
When Ben Southall, 34, from Britain, won a contest and got the 'Best Job in the World', he had no idea what he was in for. Appointed caretaker of a tropical island near the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia for a period of six months, Ben was given the opportunity to blog about his life on Hamilton Island. His life basically consisted of relaxing, swimming and exploring. He was also paid $120, 000 to promote tourism in the area on his blog.
Life couldn't have been any better for Ben. Or so he thought. Until he got stung by an Irukandji jellyfish. Found in the waters off the coast of Australia, the Irukandji jellyfish is almost microscopically tiny, and phenomenally venomous. Belonging to the Box jellyfish family, there are two kinds of Irukandji jellyfish - Malo Kingi and Carukia Barnesi. Both are equally deadly.
These jellyfish have been named after the Irukandji tribe who lived along the coastal strip that is north of Cairns in Queensland. The Irukandji jellyfish has four tentacles that extend from being a few centimeters in length to almost 35 centimeters. These stingers are clustered together in clumps and resemble rings consisting of small red dots going around the bell of the jellyfish, and also along its tentacles. Unlike most other jellyfish, which have stingers only along their tentacles, the Irukandji jellyfish also possesses stingers at the end of its bell.
The Irukandji jellyfish being so tiny has actually helped it to remain free – it is also too fragile to survive easily. This has resulted in very little research being carried out since it is hard to catch it and keep it in captivity. But it has been confirmed that the venom of the Irukandji jellyfish is one hundred times worse than a cobra's, and a thousand times worse than a tarantula's. The little research that has been done has proven that the Irukandji jellyfish's venom is so potent that it can stun its prey (like small, fast moving fish) very quickly.
Known as the Irukandji Syndrome, the sting of this tiny jellyfish results in a number of very painful symptoms, including nausea, headaches, vomiting, high blood pressure and heart rate, muscle cramps in the legs and arms, shooting pains in the chest and muscles, burning skin, pain in the kidneys and back, sweating and a feeling of doom. If the condition isn't treated urgently, it can result in blood pressure soaring and heart failure.
http://news.discovery.com/animals/jellyfish-stings-man-with-best-job.html
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