And, in colors from shades yellow, green to brown colors. You are more likely to encounter jellyfish, man-o-wars, and stingrays. The sting is minor, but 20 minute or more the victim can develop severe pain which can last for hours. Nevertheless, a few coastal residents are capable of turning your lazy day at the shore into an anxious wait at the local clinic. It feeds on small fish and shrimp. A Life Guard told Marti and I years ago not to wear anything shiny because it fascinated sharks---so we left our jewelry at home. Michelle Liew from Singapore on June 21, 2013: Wow. Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on June 20, 2013: I live in FL so many of the creatures are familiar to me, but I the most dangerous thing I have run into is a jellyfish, thank goodness. It does pay to be alert and knowledgeable about the sea. We love our beautiful, wild Florida, but you have to admit Florida has some crazy risks involved with living here, and a lot of them seem like cruel jokes made by Mother Nature. Thanks for opening more of the world for the seekers of the sea. It’s also home to dangerous animals like alligators and regularly gets hit by hurricanes. Unless you have a pool in your yard, too often you're forced indoors. Daddy did not know every place we went---but he was close. So, I'll just bear with the heat and make the best of life! Watch out at the beaches a place they can invade as well. Beware of dangerous marine life! If you decide to go into the water when stingrays are present, shuffle or slide your feet along the bottom as you walk – commonly referred to as doing the "Stingray Shuffle". It is wonderful to hear from a diver. Learn more about the 9 dangers of the beach: Here Watch in 1080 p. In the final video summary from 2016, the most dangerous marine (and freshwater) life is seen, including a moray eel bite that would cut short my filming in Florida … Thanks for your visit and comment. However I have to admit that I felt a chill down my spine as I was going through your list with these strange and potentially dangerous creatures :) Voted and pinned. Robert Morgan from Hutchinson Island, FL - Myrtle Beach, SC - Gilbert AZ on July 31, 2015: Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on September 20, 2014: I never stay out of the water but I am aware of what to watch out for in the ocean. Beautiful Florida is home to some of the world’s most popular amusement parks and humming city of Miami. See regulations for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, national wildlife refuges and Florida's State Parks before collecting in these areas. While sharks are some of the largest and most aggressive animals found in the waters of the Gulf, ... As is with any marine life … Make it a rule to look only and never touch anything below the surface. Do not touch these---the flowers are poison forceps which will cause paralysis and even death. Stingray range from small to very large so be aware of them and do not bother or get too close while below the surface. moonlake from America on February 16, 2016: I was once stung by a Portuguese man of war. Someone told me "do not go on south beach", um, my hotel is literally 5 minutes away, of course I plan on going there. I hope you have a great weekend. Dangers of Marine Life. Shuffle feet lightly while wading to scare stingrays away. In fact, most aquatic life injuries are caused by the action of the diver. Life is to live---not be afraid. Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on June 19, 2013: I suppose since I was born in Florida and my Grandfather Knight was a hunter I learned at an early not to be afraid of animals. According to statistics, you have a much better chance of being struck by lightning than being attacked by a shark. The lesson here is Do Not Feed Sea Residents---like any creäture they can get used to being fed by some divers and expect it when they see one. Gregory Floro from Tagaytay, Philippines on August 05, 2020: very informative, but covid has changed everything. I'm a diver who lives in FL, and there are many dangers in the water, but if you pay close attention your chances of stings, ect.. are heavily reduced. Scientists have calculated that there are over 1200 dangerous species in the sea with over 50,000 people getting injured per year. 2.) Top 10: Dangerous marine creatures that aren’t so well known. These starfish are a big danger to our reefs as they are coral eaters and have been a big menace on the Great Barrier Reef for years. Great hub because I think many people who don't live in Florida don't know about all these dangers. Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on June 19, 2013: Bobbi, as a resident of Florida since 1976, I'm aware of the dangers of the sea. Trips to the beach aren't always fun in the sun. It looked like that to me and I went to take it out of the water. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases such as the various, © Copyright 2011 - 2021 Florida-Keys-Vacation.com - All rights reserved, Bicycling Florida Keys Safety Tips And Bike Trail Maps, 2021 Florida Keys Marathon Events And Dates, Conversant/Commission Junction Privacy Policy, Facebook Cookies & Other Storage Technologies Policies, Google Privacy Policies For All Google Services. Sometimes the most beautiful is the most dangerous--sad but true. Florida is paradise--if you stay out of the water. Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on February 17, 2016: Hi and I am sorry that happened to you. Only by working with the sea, can one strive to … These Jellyfish are small and seen more in the summertime months. As humans are not native to the oceans this makes us easy pickings for many of these creatures, although thankfully we are largely off the menu.. Those animals in the see are fascinating, but I surely don’t have the guts to go swim in their habitat. I thought it looks like carbon paper. Collecting shells and exploring the sea life that lived under the blue-green waters of Florida. If pricked by a Lionfish---one can experience vomiting, dizziness, heart failure and even death. We watched for any unfriendly or dangerous creatures--it is best to not to touch any strange creatures, shells or plants and stay safe. Do not let anything stop you from living and enjoying life. These starfish are a great threat to the coral in oceans all over the world. In the worst case you might be eaten. Note: It is not possible to identify all types of potentially harmful marine life and the chances or types of injury. You gotta love Florida....the best state. Remember we are the underwater visitors as we invade their territory. The risk for rip currents along the Alabama/Florida coast will reach low levels by Saturday and into next week. Fire Coral is also known as stinging coral is really living organisms. Have a great weekend. Florida is the best place to live in my opinion. Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on July 31, 2015: Thanks for taking the time to visit and read my hub. Parrotfish These colorful fish are named for their parrot beak-like nose and the manner in which they use it to chomp on coral, cleaning it of algae and distributing coral sands to facilitate healthy coral spawning. Boca Grande Beach: The beaches here are amazing! From strong rip currents to dangerous marine life, There is always a risk when going to the beach. A Box Jellyfish has 60 tentacles elongating five feet in length, organized in four clusters at the corners of a box-shaped bell. As you will see in the video when angry their blue rings are bright blue. Littering is extremely dangerous to marine life, and often people will toss out fishing line, leave fishing hooks behind. One should never wear orange or yellow and never swim with even the smallest cut on your body. I though I was about to get stung by a cone shell! If all divers, swimmers and snorkelers should remember three important rules: 1.) Residents and those on a Florida Keys vacation need to be proactive, and respect the marine life that is around them. Moray Eels---The current data on Moray Eels provided is---divers become bitten when feeding them or they thought a diver had food in his hand. Crocodiles are the largest living Crocodilian today---it’s from the family of large reptiles that lived 3.5 million years ago in the Cretaceous period. Sharks have an intense sense of smell will attack any scent of blood. Visiting the beach is a fun and safe way to enjoy a summer’s day. Florida sighting reported of Blue-Ringed Octopus--- It is wise to use caution and not to touch any creatures of the sea. It's best to do what I do---use a stick or the pointed end of a cane fishing pole. Unprovoked marine life attacks on scuba divers are exceptionally rare. Peg Cole from Northeast of Dallas, Texas on June 25, 2014: Hi Bobbi, This article reminds me so much of living in the Florida Keys and swimming at Bahia Honda beach way back when. However, there is no recorded data for Irukandjis being responsible for any deaths. Or what about the wildly dangerous blowfish, whose venom is like cyanide—times a thousand. So,I gently put it back in the water and it swam away to its mother. -drops on foot- DOUBLE EEEK. We learned to respect the sea residents and how to fight the undercurrents that would carry one out to sea. The whirlpools on one side of the bridge were treacherous as well as the sea life that could be found everywhere. Wow! Dangerous Marine Life Use caution to avoid jellyfish and stingrays. The same thing happened to me with a Jellyfish when I was 12 years old. Stingrays—can kill humans with their long whipped tail that has one or two spines. The sharp spines can cut through a diver’s suit injecting their poison. Things that Sting and other dangerous Marine Life. The stone fish looks like a rock on the sea bottom---but it deadly with it 13 poisonous spines on its back. Happy diving. Flower Urchin Jellyfish sting is more than enough---and I for one will always watch out for the others. Florida’s Marine Useful Information “Stings &Things” • MARINE STINGS CAN CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIC REACTIONS. Florida is a great place to live. Manatees, wild birds, sea turtles, dolphins... Florida's wildlife and sealife are abundant on the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel. Harmful algae bloom (HAB) – See the NOAA harmful algal bloom forecast for Northwest Florida here. In the sea or fresh water do not wear anything shiny it attracts them and they think it is feeding time. Jellyfish do not hunt for their food but relies on nourishment to collide into its tentacles. He made the underwater paradise more accessible to humans with his initial exploring. Florida is such a wonderful place to live surrounded by my favorite salt water and it residents. I lived at the beach during the summertime as much as possible. I particularly loved the Crown of Thorns starfish!! White Cuvierian Tubules---When handled these creatures can become angry and expel a poison which can cause blindness if it becomes discharged or rubbed into the eyes. Elias Zanetti from Athens, Greece on June 21, 2013: Very interesting and informative hub, Bobbi. These are fierce-looking creatures with long sharp teeth and they are not afraid of humans. Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on August 23, 2020: Thank you for your visit, I hope all is well and stay safe. Life is to enjoy and knowing the risks are just good preventive measures. But it was beautiful! Sea Lice Warning Has Been Issued in Florida for Dangerous Marine Life. When I am in saltwater I do not wear jewelry or anything shiny. Thanks for your comment I enjoyed it very much. Sharks are in a category entirely of their own and are not among this particular group of sea life. Irukandjis---is a relative of the Boxed Jellyfish, but not as deadly. 3.) Never ignore any sting ---get out of the water at once--- it can affect diving ability if not taken care of immediately. Many can travel in groups of hundreds close to the beaches of Florida--so swim where a Life Guard can alert swimmer, surfers and snorkelers. Beach warning flags (purple) in Florida areas are used to notify swimmers of dangerous marine life. We were lucky to enjoy some beautiful private strips of secluded beaches that did not have a Lifeguard so we swam at our own risk---which was lacking in good judgment on our part---but we enjoyed our own private fun in the sun beach. Its poisonous fin rays are a hazard to swimmers, fisherman, divers and snorkelers. I was really excited and now several people are telling me it is dangerous. Marine life is another hazard you might encounter. While sharks are the most feared marine-animal, they are not the most likely to threaten you on the beach. When it comes down to it, I miss rolling hills, rich dirt and the changing seasons but I don't miss snow in the least. When in their home---show respect and give them plenty of room. Red flags are used to alert swimmers and sunbathers to the presence of sharks. Be careful exploring in these inlets and especially when looking under rocks or turning them over. Barbara Purvis Hunter (author) from Florida on June 22, 2013: Thanks for the visit and comment. I remember when I was little -picks up pretty shell- EEEEK! Divers may purposefully or accidentally touch a dangerous creature or provoke an attack by making an animal feel threatened. I remember seeing a tv program about Australia and knew they were there, but Florida? And, it is their home I am visiting so it pays to be savvy as I enjoy one of my greatest pleasures---Florida's saltwater for exploring, swimming and snorkeling. Caution and not to touch any creatures of the author and comment -- -have a great.. 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