A teenager was hospitalized after suffering injuries during a very close encounter with a bluebottle.
Also known as the Indo-Pacific Man o’ War, the bluebottle is a siphonophore – a colony of tiny polyps that work together as a single organism. Due to its nature and characteristics, however, the animal is commonly misreferred to as a jellyfish.
One such extraordinary creature was on Christmas Day responsible for landing an 18-year-old in hospital after the teenager somehow managed to swallow it while enjoying the sun at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
After swallowing the animal, the young swimmer suffered burns and was tended to by paramedics and lifeguards on the scene.
The victim was later also rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital for additional treatment.
As of this writing, the teen’s condition remains unclear. It is also unclear how they managed to swallow the animal with nasty stingers.
Though bluebottle stings are normally not fatal, the venomous creatures can cause pain and swelling thanks to their long tentacles that sting their prey and other creatures – including humans – that they feel threatened by.
The bluebottles are particularly dangerous to young children, the elderly, and to people with allergies who may develop fever or go into shock as a result of the sting.
Bluebottles are commonly found in the Indo-Pacific and are often swept to the shores of Australia thanks to strong winds and currents.
Though less venomous than the Portuguese Man o’ War – their Atlantic counterpart – bluebottles have an effective defense mechanism that protects them from predators and other threats.
According to the experts, bluebottles can still sting their victims even after they are already beached or dead.
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