Hundreds of venomous sea creatures have washed in India, prompting safety concerns for local residents.
Venomous marine creatures Blue Buttons and Blue Sea Dragons were seen in the city of Chennai after floods and an industrial oil spill.
The animals washed ashore in large numbers, mostly dead but with some still alive, Srivatsan Ramkumar, a resident of Chennai and an Environmentalist Foundation of India said.
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He told the News Minute: “Hundreds of them had washed ashore between the broken bridge and the Ashtalakshmi temple stretch of the beach.
“While a large number of them were dead, I spotted some Blue Sea Dragons and Blue Button which were alive.”
He added: "I saw close to 50 near the Broken Bridge area in Besant Nagar on Sunday evening. Some were alive and others were found dead on the sand."
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Due to the fact the animals are venomous, Prashanth E, Tamil Nadu Forest Department’s wildlife warden has warned people not to touch them.
He said: “After cyclonic disturbances, flushing of the sea bed is a common occurrence. On Chennai’s shore, spotting Blue Sea Dragons is not a regular occurrence but they do show up once in a while. It is best not to touch them.”
Although the creatures aren’t deadly to humans, they can cause painful rashes.
VS Chandrasekaran, retired Principal Scientist of the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) told The News Minute: “Blue Button have a ‘man of war’ mechanism – which means that they use the tentacles like body parts to sting any foreign body that comes in contact to defend themselves.”
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He added: “Local fishers refer to these jellyfish kinds of organisms as Sori because they cause skin irritation, rashes and pain. It is best to not touch them even though their venom isn’t lethal.”
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Joe K Kizhakudan, scientist at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), said: "They feed on venomous siphonophores, the violet snail, and the dangerously venomous Portuguese man o' war.
"The blue dragon stores the man o’ war’s stinging nematocysts within its finger-like appendages. The sting from this little guy can be painful.
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"People who swim in shore waters should be careful about not coming in contact with them. However, they can't survive the daytime heat."
Because the creatures live so deep in the sea, it’s rare for humans to ever see a Blue Sea Dragon.
Topics: World News, Animals
Claire Reid