Claudia Calleja
Monster jellyfish could visit Malta... but it's unlikely
Nothing to worry about? Marine conservation biologist Adriana Vella says that, although possible, recent reports that a monster jellyfish-like creature has reached our shores are unlikely.
The infamous, jellyfish-like, Portuguese man-of-war is not likely to have visited Maltese waters but it is not an impossible feat for the floating invertebrate.
Health authorities have not received any formal reports about it other than an e-mail that has been doing the rounds claiming that children spotted the marine species off St Paul's islands in March.
Similarly, no reports reached marine conservation biologist Adriana Vella who warned, however, that, although unlikely, it was not impossible for the man-of-war to float into local waters.
"Though not frequent in the Mediterranean, this marine species has a wide distribution in temperate and warm waters of the world, which includes the Mediterranean Sea," Dr Vella said in reaction to the e-mail.
Technically, the physalia physalis, as it is known scientifically, is not actually a jellyfish but a colony of different kinds of organisms (such as little polyps) that live in a cluster and together look like one big jellyfish.
Sometimes called blue bottle, the jelly-like creature gives a burning sting that is more painful than that of a jellyfish and can, in extreme cases, be lethal.
Dr Vella said there had been at least some sightings off the southern coasts of Spain in April while another closer sighting was recorded in the south east of Sicily last February.
According to the Mediterranean fishing website medfish.com, the man-of-war had ventured into waters normally considered too warm for them.
But there have been no such conclusive reports in Malta so far.
Dr Vella encouraged anyone who came across anything different to the normal jellyfish to take a photo and inform the health authorities.
She stressed that the sighting of one creature need not be alarming. This depended on the manner in which they entered the local waters as one or two might have drifted with the current and would not be able to reproduce.
According to The Guardian, westerly winds have blown the Portuguese men-of-war into the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. There did not appear to be enough of the creatures to form a permanent colony in the Mediterranean, the newspaper reported.
The Health Department has issued recommendations on what to do if stung by jelly fish in general, which are becoming more common in Maltese waters.
The department said the best thing to do would be to remove any tentacle traces carefully, making sure you are not stung elsewhere in the process, wash the skin gently with salt water and put alcohol on the affected area. It also recommends seeking medical help in the case of breathing difficulties, chest pain and intense pain in the stung area.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
31 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
j.grech
Jun 3rd 2009, 17:17
Heyy just check out this article http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090525/letters/jellyfish-alerts-via-sms
and see how some people don't use the "tongue in cheek" phrase, but talk politics when the article is about jellyfish........I just cannot understand some people...i couldnt help but comment back...
S.Ellul.V
Jun 3rd 2009, 11:32
for more information regards the Portuguese man of war visit :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Man_o'_War
Bert Farrugia
Jun 3rd 2009, 10:04
I can't believe that it took so long for somebody to realize that Franco Farrugia was being sarcastic...
Gavin Ellul
Jun 2nd 2009, 22:32
from most of the comments i've read in this thread.. it seems that the general public's stubbornness on politics and the resulting inability to read between the lines is the problem rather than the presence of these jellyfish or Dr. Vella's insight.... Read well before commenting!! Google 'tongue in cheek' if need be!
Alexander Azzopardi
Jun 2nd 2009, 19:35
calling it jellyfish is misleading the public on how to handle a situation in an case of stings .
ppl get mixed easily "Monster jellyfish than jellyfish like"
@ M Bonello
according to Spanish & Hawaiian reports once you detect one it happens to see houndreds to thousands arround . much more when winds blows onshore .
M Bonello
Jun 2nd 2009, 10:29
I was told that its very rare to find such creatures drifting alone in a particular sea, and once one of them is sighted one, more of them will usually be found.
does anybody know whether I am I correct?
C. Mallia
Jun 2nd 2009, 08:56
I did take the pictures of what looks to be a Portuguese Man o' War back in February and March at Golden Bay. At the time I thought nothing of them since a quick search on the internet showed that this species, whilst not common, can be found in the Mediterranean. I've already passed the pictures to both BICEF and MHEC.
J Zammit
Jun 2nd 2009, 08:20
If I am not mistaken, these creatures do not have the means to propel themselves in the water, they are carried along by currents and the wind. The "blue bottle" has a sail that enables it to catch the wind and travel along.
These species and many others are on the rise because of over fishing and hunting of sharks, the loggerhead turtle and the blanket octopus.
Mankind is doing incredible damage to our planet.
JZ
D.MANGION
Jun 1st 2009, 21:17
(in a lighter than usual mood)
I intend to grow my own marine turtle, in my home aquarium (using sea water obviously), and when I go to swim I take her/him/it with me and tie it with a long leash to my ankle and use it as a deterrent against jellysfish.
A sort of a marine guard dog.... (at a later stage the turtle might even learn to bark) !
Whoof...whooof.
BTW...prosit Franco Farrugia....I like your humour.
Joseph Anthony Debono
Jun 1st 2009, 20:18
quote According to the Mediterranean fishing website medfish.com, the man-of-war had ventured into waters normally considered too warm for them. unquote Does this mean that the temperature of the Mediterranean has COOLED to a temperature more suitable for the Portuguese Man-of-War or that this creature has adapted to life in cooler waters? Whatever the case, the quotation above could do with some clarification.
Joseph Camilleri
Jun 1st 2009, 20:18
@Franco Scicluna and C.Deguara: Franco Farrugia is clearly being sarcastic (check his last line of his post)... he was poking fun at the fact that nobody has so far posted any comments here blaming GonziPN for this, as has been clearly happening in practically everything else which has been happening over the last few weeks...
BICREF
Jun 1st 2009, 20:10
BICREF (the Biological Conservation Research Foundation) would like to thank those that are sending in their sighting reports, especially Alfred Fenech who has kindly sent in a photo of a Portuguese man of war. BICREF stresses the importance of sending in photos which also show the locality and number of these creatures spotted so that it can forward them to relevant health authorities. It is clear that the target of the news feature of the Times has reached its aim of informing, guiding the public toward helpful action, while avoiding excessive alarm. email: bicref@gmail.com
Dr. Adriana Vella Ph.D (Cambridge) |Conservation Biologist
Jun 1st 2009, 19:17
For General Information: As a conservation biology researcher of marine species for many years, as a full-time member of staff at the stated Biology Department (where my various research projects are also listed), and a voluntary contributor to conservation work undertaken by BICREF, anyone that knows and appreciates my experience in the field (from the coast to off shore) may ask my advice on biological matters which may include information on various marine related issues too. In my replies it was clearly indicated that such species have been sighted in the Mediterranean and also have a biological distribution that includes the Mediterranean. I also indicated that persons who do have such sightings should forward them for confirmation and local awareness. I guess we have no one in the Maltese Islands with a Bachelors, Masters or PhD on jellyfish, but in the end for the basic information required and local awareness it is the experience and work out at sea which was required above all.
Rachel Spiteri
Jun 1st 2009, 19:11
omg... We cannot even have a lovely day at the beach now without worrying about these creatures... We always had jelly fish but this year, omg....
stephen camilleri
Jun 1st 2009, 17:42
I was once stung by a sea monster while i was diving,and it looked something like this but the size of a car.
Dragan Donkov
Jun 1st 2009, 17:38
I saw one of these 5 weeks ago in Suzi’s pool, Cirkewwa. Many divers were there that day and can confirm. My friends told me that this is something very rare, even people with 20 years + years of diving never manage to spot the Portuguese man of war. This thing is not a joke and is extremely dangerous.
Franco Scicluna
Jun 1st 2009, 17:34
@ Franco Farrugia Are you sure you are posting in the right thread? Freak natural occurrence and Politics? Surely not everything in Malta revolves around the same principle that Governments are to blame for all evils? Pray tell, what, if anything, can anyone have done to cause Men-o-wars to accidentally drift in the Mediterranean through the straight of Gibraltar? Push them along? Please.
Christine
Jun 1st 2009, 17:04
FYI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Man_o%27_War
victor vella
Jun 1st 2009, 16:49
Those people who have proof should present it forwith or else shut their mouth as then they are nothing but alarmists.Regarding the net across the bays these need to be suspended higher then the waves as these creatures float so most of them would be inside the net with the first wave, but what is going to happen to the small fish which keep our seas alive? Wouldnt a net be false assurance to swimmers as happened in Paradise bay a couple of years ago.
Alfred Fenech
Jun 1st 2009, 16:39
For those of you who still refuse to beleive, send your email address to alfredfenech@vol.net.mt and I would gladly send you the photo, sameone that was sent to the health authorities in March but not even an acknowlegement was received let alone any explanation
C. Farrugia
Jun 1st 2009, 16:35
@Franco Farrugia Can you please enlighten us how this is the government's and EU's fault?? I think this is human kind's fault for turning the environment upside down!
D.Spiteri
Jun 1st 2009, 15:36
@Marlene DeBono , Alfred Fenech
If indeed you know people who has spotted such an organism, or have even taken some photographs of it, please forward these to BICREF NGO, who whould very much appreciate the timings and locations of such sightings.
The NGO can be contacted on bicref@gmail.com
Franco Farrugia
Jun 1st 2009, 15:31
This is all the Government's fault and someone must surely resign over this matter. Someone simply must take political responsibility over this. That is what we get from joining the EU! (tongue in cheek, of course!!!!)
Marlene Debono
Jun 1st 2009, 13:54
I was told that this marine creature which is NOT a jelly fish was lately seen at Wied iz-Zurrieq by a person I met. People who have such evidence of seeing these creatures should contact the HEALTH AUTHORITIES ASAP - THEY COULD SAVE LIVES!!! We need an OFFICIAL WARNING if this is true. We do not know where we stand.......have they or haven't they visited our islands?????
J.Tanti
Jun 1st 2009, 13:25
This sound to me like a whole disruption in the Ecosystem food web. I was always told that jellyfish are on the rise because of a substantial amount of turtles being captured by mistake during fishing, killing the one most important predator feeding on such creatures. I could be completely wrong as this info is word of mouth, yet again along the years our shores have increased in the number of jellyfish and very scarce discussion have tackled towards a pro-environmental proposals. My last visit in Cyprus, they encourage the rise in turtle population to a point that swimmers are not allowed to pin umbrellas in the sand at random as well as BBQ-ing without any regulations. Unfortunately to say Malta has always failed to look at environmentally productive resolutions and i hope that this can one day be different.
Chanel Camilleri
Jun 1st 2009, 13:21
@ Alfred Fenech
as far as i know when nets were placed in beaches abroad, yes.. they did prevent ('whole') jellyfish from coming on the shore, however, the terrible news was that the jellyfish were shredded to pieces because of the net, and the bay was all contaminated with poisonous jellyfish particles! i.e while i do feel that something needs to be done as a precaution, i dont think that placing nets would be the best solution!
Nick Borg
Jun 1st 2009, 12:51
@ Alfred Fenech
If indeed you do have pictures of Portuguese Man of war on Ghajn Tuffieha beach then perhaps you should have alerted someone in the marine department for guidance. As they are rather rare, it is unlikely that you would have encountered more than one, however if that is the case, perhaps you should still contact the marine department for them to be able to assess the situation.
We have a wonderful culture in Malta of complaint without co-operation. Being a small country with limited resources means that the population does in fact need to get involved and help out...
C. Scerri
Jun 1st 2009, 12:06
@ Alfred Fenech,
If you have pictures, show them!
Dr Vella is not the authorities but she is an authority on marine conservation and and such her opinion is a scholarly one. Again, I invite you to send her the pictures - that is the way to help.
Noel Enriquez
Jun 1st 2009, 11:45
"invertebrate"?? Invertabrates include 95% of all animal species. 'Hydrozoan' should be more appropriate in this case!
Luke Buttigieg
Jun 1st 2009, 09:56
That thing looks horrible! Let's hope it won't come close to our shores!
Alfred Fenech
Jun 1st 2009, 09:32
Who are the authorities kidding!! Ihave pictures of these jelly fish taken in March on the beach at Ghajn Tuffieha. Or is this an exercise to get out of having to do something to try and prevent these creatures from getting to our shore lines. I stand to be corrected but in other countries nets have been put up across swimming areas to protect swimmers.