Image Credit: Youtube/ Digital Speed Learning
By Hannah Rosenoff
As if the name isn’t intimidating enough, this Irukandji jellyfish is so small you’ll never see it coming.
Found in Australia, its estimated size is a whopping one centimeter. Yet, it’s the most poisonous box jellyfish living on earth. Unlike most jellies, these have the power to shoot their stingers into their victim.
A half hour to two hours after being stung, the victim experiences Irukandji syndrome, which causes psychological trauma and incredibly intense physical pain. Words cannot accurately describe the pain intensity; however, it has been said that morphine barely helps the worst of it.
The one common symptom that sticks out among Irukandji victims is a feeling of impending doom…not a good feeling. These seriously painful effects can last up to 30 hours.
Photo Credit: Associated Press via The Telegraph
While the syndrome is life-threatening due to risks of cardiac arrest and high blood pressure, if people are brought in early enough for medical treatment, they can survive.
Hospitals use magnesium infusions to fight the venom. The victims may live to tell the tale, but chances are these won’t be memories they’ll want to relive.
Lately, there has been an increasing number of encounters with this jellyfish because of the warming ocean temperatures. Wearing protective clothing and staying out of the water is highly advised for beachgoers on the Queensland coast of Australia.
As dangerous as it is, we still think it’s amazing how such a small organism can cause such a colossal damage. We think they aptly deserve the name tiny terror.