Authorities have issued a warning after a potentially lethal sea creature washed up on a beach in Wales.
Several Portuguese Man O’ War were spotted on Aberavon beach near Port Talbot.
Commonly mistaken for jellyfish because of their balloon-like appearance, the species can deliver a painful sting, causing welts, blisters, and in severe cases, fever, shock, or potentially complications affecting the heart and lungs.
In rare cases, allergic reactions caused by the venom can be fatal, and dead tentacles, even those detached from the original organism, can still sting.
Beachgoers have been warned to avoid touching the creatures and remain vigilant.
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People are advised to treat stings by rinsing them in seawater, not freshwater, or immersing the affected area in as hot water as possible for half an hour.
A spokesperson for the Port Talbot Coastguard said: ‘We’re urging everyone visiting Aberavon Beach to stay vigilant.
‘Do not touch these creatures, even if they appear dead, as their tentacles can still deliver a painful sting.’
‘If you are stung, rinse the affected area with seawater – not fresh water – and carefully remove any tentacles using a credit card or similar object. Immerse the area in water as hot as can be tolerated for at least 30 minutes to help neutralise toxins, and seek medical advice by contacting HM Coastguard or a doctor.
‘In a coastal emergency, always call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
How do Portuguese Man O’ War’s ‘hunt’?
The Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis) doesn’t ‘attack’ in the active sense — it’s a passive hunter that drifts on ocean currents, using its long tentacles to capture prey.
The man o’ war is not a single animal but a colonial organism made up of specialised individuals (called zooids) that work together.
The float (pneumatophore) keeps it at the surface.
The tentacles (up to 30–50 meters long) hang below and do the hunting.
Specialised feeding zooids (gastrozooids) then digest prey.
As the colony drifts, small fish, plankton, and other prey brush against the tentacles.
When triggered by touch, these capsules fire tiny harpoons that inject venom (a mix of toxins, including potent neurotoxins and hemolysins).
The venom causes:
Paralysis or death in small fish and crustaceans within seconds or minutes.
Pain and shock in larger animals (including humans).
The venom disrupts the nervous system and damages cells, making it impossible for prey to escape.
The coastguard added that it would not be the marine creatures from beaches, as they are usually washed away naturally out to sea by the tide.
Previous sightings of the Portuguese Man O’ War were reported off the coast of Pembrokeshire, as well as in Gwynedd and Anglesey.
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