BOX JELLYFISH. WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES?

Having plans to go to the beaches of Northern Australia? Should you keep it in mind? The Great Barrier Reef, off Australia's east coast, is one of the wonders of the natural world. It is World Heritage listed and is one of Australia's, and the world's, premier holiday destinations. Unfortunately in recent years there is one thing that is conceded by many as a decisive factor in making their decision to see or not to see this wonder.

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Box jellyfish may be found in shallow water at the edge of beaches in Northern Australian and Indo-Pacific region. Adult jellyfish spawn at river mouths in late summer. The fertilized eggs attach themselves to rocks in the form of tiny polyps. In spring, these polyps develop into small jellyfish that migrate downstream, especially with rains. They feed on shrimps and often frequent beaches that are attractive to humans. These animals have chosen a strategy of passive hunting - they simply wait for the prey to bump into their tentacles. Since a struggling shrimp can tear a young jellyfish, it needs to be killed instantly with a very strong poison. To put it simple you have zero chances for surviving if box jellyfish has bitten you. To increase your chances you have to be treated immediately and competently, which is less likely the case if you are at least 20 - 30 minutes away from well equipped and well staffed medical facility. However. Lets take a statistical approach. Despite the fact that box jellyfish is considered the most venomous marine creature (it can kill more people than stonefish, sharks and crocodiles combined.) is it the most inevitable disastrous situation you can potentially meet? There are also many more creatures on this earth that are quite deadly to humans. The deadliest of all, of course, being other humans. In your case perhaps the road to/from airport, the flight itself (especially in recent years) could be much more deadlier. What pose the greatest threat to our lives are creatures we can't even see - microbes. These are the microorganisms we usually call germs or cooties, the ones that make us sick. By and large, disease-causing germs are responsible for the largest number of human deaths every year. So, our conclusion – do not think about box jellyfish when you are planning your vacation to Northern Australia. Staff of medgrip.com

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