DEADLY VENOMOUS BOX JELLYFISH
STING ON SCHEDULE

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TOURISTS NEED TO BE PROTECTED

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AUGUST ATTACK

August 26, 2008.  Venomous Box Jellyfish attacked swimmers at Waikiki and several other beaches resulting in over 80 people having to be treated for stings. At least 600 jellyfish were found on the beach today. However, their arrival was expected and the ocean should have been closed rather than allowing the tourists to suffer the dangerous and painful venomous stings.  Recently a swarm of Box Jellyfish were seen in the Ala Wai Canal, and their arrival in the ocean was expected. Never touch even a dead one on the beach as the stinging cells of the tentacles can still emit venom.

JULY ATTACK 

July 28, 2008.  Venomous Box Jellyfish swarmed to the shores of Waikiki and other beaches of Hawaii. By 2:30 p.m., lifeguards had treated 111 stings, and found nearly 600 Box Jellyfish.

TOURISTS NEED TO BE PROTECTED

Tourists need to be educated about the danger of this highly venomous creature and learn how to calculate the time of their swarm which is easily predictable and widely known by locals in Hawaii. Box Jellyfish carry the most deadly venom in the world.

The Box Jellyfish has developed strong venom possibly to protect its fragile tentacles from being injured while hunting for prey and to protect themselves from predators. Toxins from their tentacles attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells, and the stings are extremely painful. Before escaping to the shore, human victims have been known to go into shock, drown, or die of heart failure. The survivors suffer with extreme pain lasting for weeks.  Further, there is significant scarring where the tentacles stung.

DO NOT TOUCH DEAD ONES ON BEACH

It is important to understand that you cannot even touch a dead Box Jellyfish on the beach because the stinging cells of the tentacles can still emit venom.

Box Jellyfish are also called sea wasps or marine stingers and have a pale blue color and are transparent.  They are named "box" because of the cube-like shape of their bells.  There are up to 15 tentacles that grow as long as 10 feet (3 meters) from each corner of box-shaped bell.  Each tentacle has up to 5,000 stinging cells.

Their eyes have complex lens, retina, iris and cornea, grouped in clusters of six on four sides of their bell.  However, research shows that their vision is probably blurry.

Further,  you don't have to accidentally bump into one to get stung.  While the ordinary Jellyfish travel by drifting with the current, the Box Jellyfish jet through the water at high-powered speeds of up to four nautical knots. They travel in swarms, and when you enter their domain, their venomous sting is triggered by a chemical on the outer layer of your skin.

However, the Box Jellyfish encounter can be prevented by calculating the time after a full moon, and then staying out of the water.  All locals, regular surfers and swimmers in Hawaii  know about this, and all tourists coming to Hawaii should be educated and advised.  No one should find out by being stung.

Ala Moana Beach Park and Hanauma Bay were also closed because of the Box Jellyfish swarm.

The rhythmic swarm is biologically driven by the time cycle of the moon for which the Box Jellyfish coordinate their spawning near the beach.

CALCULATION

The regular swarm of the Box Jelly Fish is 7-10 days after a Full Moon and the swarm lasts 2-3 days. The last full moon was July 17, but it was late in the day. Therefore, the swarm lasted 3 days, but when the full moon is early in the day, then the swarm lasts only 2 days.

For example, in the month of August, 2008:  a full moon will take place on August 16 and will occur early in the day.  Therefore, an influx of Box Jellyfish are expected around August 25 and 26 (but potential days include 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27; calculate: 23 and 24, or 24 and 25, or 25 and 26, or 26 and 27).

However, on some instances, the Box Jellyfish have arrived on days not in this time cycle. But, the lifeguards would post a sign.  Locals who are regular surfers, however, use the moon to calculate.

Don't wait to be told or find out after being stung because you need to be aware that the ocean is filled with all kinds of predators and prey that we cannot see when we merely look on the surface.  Underneath is an entire universe for which we become a part when we enter the domain of the ocean.

Do the math yourself and be prepared with alternative plans to read and relax on a towel near the beach, but not to swim nor surf in the water on these calculated dates. You may also plan to visit the zoo or aquarium in Waikiki or go on a luncheon cruise or hike, or find many other great sightseeing activities if you plan to be in Hawaii on these dates.

nationalgeographic.com

SEA TURTLES
EAT
BOX JELLYFISH

August 26, 2008.  While tourists were being painfully stung by Box Jellyfish, if there were any sea turtles around, the scene may have been peaceful.  Sea turtles are unaffected by the venomous stings of the Box Jellyfish, and, in fact, these turtles eat them.

HAWAII OFFERS MORE THAN THE OCEAN

There are alot more things to do in Hawaii than getting into the ocean whenever the domain temporarily belongs to the Box Jellyfish who are doing what they need to survive and reproduce in the ocean that is their home.  Respect them in their ocean domain, and respect yourself by using your Wisdom to live in harmony with all living things as we take our proper place in the circle of life.

For more information on Box Jellyfish see:  nationalgeographic.com

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