Giant ‘zombie’ jellyf ish invade Scottish coasts
THEY could easily be mistaken for having fallen from outer space or a ghastly alien horror film set.
But Scottish beach-goers are being warned to avoid monstrous jellyfish that have left swimmers hospitalised.
The lion’s mane species is the largest of all jellyfish and can deliver a painful sting – even when dead.
They have left five people in Co Louth, Co Galway and Co Clare, Ireland, in hospital and have washed up around Scotland’s coast in recent weeks.
The giant jellyfish grow tentacles up to 120ft long and can weigh as much as 50lb.
Swimmer Colleen Blair, 39, suffered a number of stings from lion’s mane jellyfish as she completed an historic 25-mile crossing of The Minch from the Isle of Lewis to Rubha Reidh, near Gairloch, Rossshire, on July 8.
The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust also issued a warning, asking members of the public not to touch the beached animals
The group said: ‘Large numbers of lion’s mane jellyfish have been washed up on local beaches.
‘Be aware that the tentacles of this particular species keeps its sting for a long time after the jellyfish has died. You should never touch them and always keep children and pets away.’
Several sightings have been reported, including large masses or blooms at Kirkcaldy and Kinghorn beaches in Fife. Other sightings have been made near Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde.
Jasmine Headlam, of the Ryan Institute at the National University of Ireland Galway, said: ‘Lion’s mane stings, though not generally considered fatal, can cause a lot of pain. Stings from large lion’s mane can be particularly dangerous, as the thousands of thin tentacles can each extend to several metres long.
‘Initially, a sting may result in itching or localised pain that may radiate to other areas of the body, potentially progressing to severe pain within 20 minutes or more.
‘In some cases, stings can result in symptoms including back pain, nausea, abdominal cramps, sweating and hypertension.’
In Ireland, a teenager was taken to hospital after losing feeling in his legs when he was stung by a huge jellyfish.
Jack Dunne, 14, was swimming at Port Beach in Co Louth when the marine creature stuck to his shoulder and chest. His mother Mellissa said: ‘Its tentacles went around his legs and waist.’
Jack, who was at the beach with friends, was swimming in shallow water near the shore when he came into contact with the jellyfish.
His mother said: ‘When we got to the beach he was on his hands and knees, finding it hard to breathe.’
Jack’s parents took him to hospital but on the journey there he was vomiting and in pain.
His mother added: ‘By the time we got to the hospital he was losing the feeling in one of his legs. It was a horrible experience for him.’
The teenager was given antihistamines and anti-inflammatories and recovered the following day.
Experts advise washing the affected area with vinegar before applying a heat pack.
Jellyfish are a main food source for the rare leatherback sea turtle and sunfish which are sometimes spotted in the waters.
Lion’s mane jellyfish can be found in cool waters between June and September. It is understood they have been swarming to the northwest coast after a NASA image taken by a weather satellite showed a vast bloom of plankton covering several hundred miles.
‘He was finding it hard to breathe’