TOKYO - As the latter half of summer approaches, it's crucial to be mindful of dangerous marine creatures while enjoying beach activities. A clear, transparent object washed ashore could be lethal if touched, making vigilance essential.
Venomous Spines & Tentacles: Common in Shallow Waters
Many people flock to the seaside to enjoy summer, but they must be cautious of dangerous marine creatures that can attack humans.
Takeshi Yamamoto, a jellyfish expert at Enoshima Aquarium, warns of creatures like the stingray, catfish, and box jellyfish.
The stingray has sharp, hard spines that can pierce through even rubber boots, causing a drop in blood pressure and breathing difficulties if stung. They often hide in shallow sandy areas, camouflaging with the sand, leading to accidental stings.
Other threats include the box jellyfish, with its venomous tentacles, and the catfish, which has venomous spines on its dorsal fin, both of which cause intense pain if stung.
Among the most frequent dangers in shallow waters is the Portuguese man-of-war.
Yamamoto highlights the Portuguese man-of-war, with its cool blue and transparent body. This venomous jellyfish has a “float” of about 10 centimeters and tentacles that can extend nearly 10 meters.
Known as the "electric jellyfish" due to the intense, electric shock-like pain it inflicts, the Portuguese man-of-war’s sting can cause swelling, nausea, and in severe cases, death from anaphylactic shock.
People who have been stung describe the experience as "a constant, needle-like pain following an electric shock. It was excruciating."
If Stung… Rinse Tentacles with Seawater
This summer, social media has been abuzz with information about Portuguese man-of-war sightings. Our team investigated a beach in Kanagawa Prefecture, where such posts were reported.
Kenji Hashimoto of the Kanagawa Beach Clean Foundation pointed out a dried-up Portuguese man-of-war, which could easily be mistaken for trash. Despite appearing dead, its tentacles still contain venom, making it dangerous to touch.
“From this distance, it’s impossible to identify it as a Portuguese man-of-war,” said Hashimoto, noting that these small creatures often blend in with debris, posing a hidden threat to beachgoers.
If stung by a Portuguese man-of-war, it’s crucial to rinse the tentacles with seawater.
"Using freshwater or vinegar could worsen the situation," Hashimoto advises. “Freshwater can trigger the remaining venomous spines, causing them to fire again.”
AI-Powered Portuguese Man-of-War Alerts: A High Schooler’s Innovation
In response to the growing threat of Portuguese man-of-war, a high school student has developed an AI that predicts their presence on beaches.
The account, aptly named “Jellyfish Alert,” warns followers of potential Portuguese man-of-war landings from August 16 to 17. This innovative system was created by 18-year-old high school senior Shuto Obata.
Obata, who has long been interested in AI and digital technology, began developing the system two years ago after seeing news reports of Portuguese man-of-war washing up in large numbers on beaches in Zushi and Kamakura.
Realizing the severity of the stings, Obata sought to reduce the number of victims by creating this system. The AI uses wind data from the Japan Meteorological Agency and ocean current data from JAXA to predict where Portuguese man-of-war might wash ashore. The results are then posted on social media.
Obata expressed his hopes for the future: "I want to enhance the accuracy of the predictions and detection capabilities, so I can help reduce the number of people stung by the Portuguese man-of-war."
Source: ANN
