{"id":118707,"date":"2021-03-27T21:50:21","date_gmt":"2021-03-27T21:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=118707"},"modified":"2021-03-27T21:50:21","modified_gmt":"2021-03-27T21:50:21","slug":"hundreds-of-sea-monsters-deadlier-than-cyanide-found-washed-up-on-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/hundreds-of-sea-monsters-deadlier-than-cyanide-found-washed-up-on-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Hundreds of sea monsters ‘deadlier than cyanide’ found washed up on beach"},"content":{"rendered":"
A British expat made an extraordinary discovery when she happened upon hundreds of pufferfish washed up on the sand while she was out taking a walk with her family.<\/p>\n
The mini sea-monsters were soon identified by the South African government as the \u201cEvileye\u201d pufferfish, which is just as lethal as its name suggests.<\/p>\n
In fact, the spines of this unassuming little fish can deliver a poison that is deadlier than cyanide.<\/p>\n
Dr Tess Gridley, from Sheffield, made the unsettling discovery on Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town, South Africa. <\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThe beach is 200 metres from our house and we were on a family walk.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can't say how many were there as I only looked in a small area \u2013 I was with my kids and dog, and prepping for field work so it was a short visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if you did count it would have exceeded hundreds.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The fishes contain a poison called tetrodotoxin, which works by paralysing the diaphragm causing respiratory failure, which can lead to suffocation and cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n
One of the most venomous animals in the world, the blue-ringed octopus, also uses this kind of venom.<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries said: \u201cThe fish mortalities in False Bay are exclusively of the evil-eye pufferfish with counts of 300 to 400 dead fish per km of shore.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese dead fish all carry the deadly neurotoxin tetrodotoxin and should not be eaten; death comes usually by cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeach dog walkers are strongly advised to keep their pets away from them. If one\u2019s dog does eat whole or part of a pufferfish, immediately induce vomiting and rush your pet to the vet.\u201d<\/p>\n
A dog has sadly already been killed as a result of the pufferfish according to local NGO AfriOceans Conservation Alliance.<\/p>\n
But the actual cause of the stranding has yet to be established.<\/p>\n
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Paige VanZant wears white thong bikini as she re-shares iconic Sports Illustrated photoshoot snap<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In the past, standings like this one have been caused by so called \u201cred tides\u201d. This is a bloom of algae which changes the cloud of the water and produces natural toxins.<\/p>\n
But this time the statement from the South African government specifically ruled out a \u201cred tide\u201d as the cause, saying: \u201cthere are no reports of any adverse water conditions or red-tide toxins that may have caused this\u201d.<\/p>\n
The fish could also have been blown or carried to shore by waves.<\/p>\n
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Dr Gridley, who studies marine life, thinks that the public needs to do its bit when such standings occur.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep a look out and report what you see,\u201d the mum-of-two said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't be alarmed, these events happen from time to time in natural systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is now an important role for citizen scientists in reporting these events through social media. We are learning a lot more about the marine environment these days from such reports.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf possible, collect photos and videos which can then help to identify species, and offer interesting insights into what\u2019s living in our oceans.\u201d<\/p>\n
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