Kayaker spots ‘weird and wonderful’ sea creature. Now, UK experts issue a warning
Samantha Barnes was kayaking in the U.K. when she spotted a peculiar, jellyfish-like creature.
It was actually a dangerous Portuguese man-of-war, experts with Devon Wildlife Trust said in an Aug. 25 Facebook post.
“This weird and wonderful creature may look like a jellyfish, but it’s actually made up of separate organisms working together,” the trust wrote.
Wembury Marine Centre also shared photos of the “fascinating” predator in an Aug. 23 Facebook post, warning beachgoers not to touch the organisms on the beach.
The photos show a translucent pinkish purple oval-shaped creature floating atop the water. Its tentacles extend underwater and vary in length.
Experts said they’ve had reports of the creatures washing up on Wembury beach in southwest England.
“They can give a nasty sting, so it’s best to admire from afar!” the trust warned in its post.
Portuguese man-of-war: A rare sight
Although the Portuguese man-of-war looks like a jellyfish, it is actually a colonial hydrozoan, which means it’s made up of small organisms working together, according to The Wildlife Trusts. The organisms making up the creature are called zooids, and they each have a specific function.
The zooids cannot live separately, but they function together as one “animal,” experts with The Wildlife Trusts said. Portuguese man-of-wars live at the surface of the ocean. Since they can’t swim, they are moved by the wind.
They use their long stinging tentacles to predate on small fish and crustaceans, according to experts. The creature’s tentacles can sting even after they die.
The predators are rare on U.K. shores, but they can be blown to shore by westerly winds, experts said.
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