With the arrival of summer, millions of people go to the beaches to escape the heat and enjoy the sea. Between dives and waterfront rides, there is, however, a seasonal visitor who has been multiplying in the coastal areas, and can turn a quiet day into an unexpected problem.
Experts warn that this growing presence is linked to changes in the marine ecosystem and may affect, above all, those who have a more delicate health. A simple contact with this body can cause variable intensity reactions, which in some cases require immediate medical assistance.
According to the Spanish newspaper 20minutos, it is the proliferation of alpharchers and Portuguese caravels, whose presence increases in warm waters and in areas where natural predators decreased. Cleaver (Nocthiluca Pelogia) is the most common species, while the Portuguese caravel (Physalia Physalis) stands out for its alpharkish-like appearance, although it is formed by several working polyps.
According to the same source, the tentacles of these organisms have hives that trigger different reactions in each person. In allergic or low resistance individuals, the encounter with these animals can become dangerous, causing intense pain, skin irritation and, in extreme cases, severe complications.
Chains, heat and overweight at the origin of the phenomenon
Ocean NGO Expedition Director Ricardo Aguilar explains that the increase in water temperature, coupled with ocean pollution and the reduction of predators such as bobby turtle and red tuna, has favored the multiplication of these organisms.
It adds the publication that factors such as wind and high sea currents directly influence the presence of jellyfish next to the beaches. On the back of whaares and Andalusia, this phenomenon is more visible due to the location of these regions in biological corridors such as the Gibraltar Strait.
The arrival of these animals to the Atlantic is not discarded, as sea currents can transport them to habitually less affected areas, creating surprises for bathers and local authorities.
In recent years, there has also been an increase in species such as medusa-ovo (Cotylorhiza tuberculata), common medusa (aurelia aurita) and giant jellyfish (rhizostoma pulmon). According to 20minates, these species have less danger as they cannot drill human skin and therefore do not cause infections or significant urticant effects.
Invisible risk for those who attend the sea
Sport caravels, on the contrary, can be fatal in people allergic or sensitive to their toxin. The newspaper writes that the tentacles of these organisms reach ten meters long and remain active even after the animal is stranded in the sand for several hours.
This reality has led many coastal municipalities to reinforce the surveillance and signaling of the beaches. Some locations resort to informational flags or real -time alerts through mobile applications to warn of the presence of meduses and caravels.
The popularization of citizen science tools, such as Medusapp application, allows bathers to report sightings and bites, providing useful data to monitor the higher risk areas and better understand the behavior of these organisms.
Prevention and care after a bite
It refers to the same source that, in case of contact with the tentacles, the main recommendation is to wash the area affected only with seawater. The use of freshwater should be avoided as it can activate more urticant cells and aggravate the problem.
Carefully removing any tentacle adhered to the skin and applying local cold helps reduce inflammation. Explains what, in the face of intense pain, nausea or respiratory difficulties, the next step should be to quickly seek medical care. Each body reacts differently, so a seemingly light situation can become serious if not treated correctly. In cases of allergy, toxin exposure may have serious and even fatal consequences.
Sensitization for this care and attention to the signs of the authorities on the beaches are essential measures to ensure that a summer day by the sea does not become an unexpected emergency.
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