Box Jellyfish, Pygmy Killer Whales, Reef Surveys - Bonaire

[Ukmc]

Do we know if the box jelly fish are always in the area or not?

I suspect they are. It was a news to me as well. I thought they only populated the other side of the world.
here is a photo my buddy shot on the night dive last week at T&C.

 

[tursiops]

which is just as lethal as those in the Pacific

This is not correct. Where did you get this misinformation?

Wait, you have box jellyfish on Bonaire "as lethal as those Down Under"?

No, the Tamoya Ohboya are not as lethal as the Irukandji.

I did not know they were over there as well.

They are not. The lethal Australian Irukandji is a Malo maxima, not even in the same family.

Smithsonian's original article on the BBBJ is here.

 

[adiverslife]

If I ever have the chance to visit Bonaire again, I want to go diving with you. You are a doing a great job, educational yet entertaining. I wish you more success!

Thank you so much!

 

[adiverslife]

Wait, you have box jellyfish on Bonaire "as lethal as those Down Under"? I hope it's the kind that kills you in 30 seconds, not the kind that has you wishing it did for 5 days, before you OD on morphine.

It depends on the individual and the degree of hits you get. People have died on Bonaire from the stings and others got out of the water and could not walk. Others had heart problems. Bud Gillan was at Oil Slick Leap with Antivenom that minimized the symptoms early but the two people had to go to the hospital. This happens a lot when people get in to see the Ostracods. I have read that one jellyfish has enough venom to kill 60 humans.

 

[adiverslife]

This is why my wife has taken Australia off her bucket list,

lol. I understand.

 

[adiverslife]

This is not correct. Where did you get this misinformation?

No, the Tamoya Ohboya are not as lethal as the Irukandji.

They are not. The lethal Australian Irukandji is a Malo maxima, not even in the same family.

Smithsonian's original article on the BBBJ is here.

Dr Yanagihara. The toxicology expert on Box Jellyfish at the Hawaii medical institute in Hawaii. She compares them to the Hawaiian Box Jellyfish family. That is all in the video. Please watch the entire video. She and her team created the anitdote which I have found also helps with mild lionfish stings.

 

[adiverslife]

I suspect they are. It was a news to me as well. I thought they only populated the other side of the world.
here is a photo my buddy shot on the night dive last week at T&C.

They are not located at every site on Bonaire. Specific sites with steep drop offs, like Oil Slick Leap, Ladania's Leap, and Rappel. They are concentrated at times around the full moon. There is a lot in the water for them to feed on.

 

[adiverslife]

Do we know if the box jelly fish are always in the area or not?

They are not. The show up around the full moon every month at night. I avoid problem spots at this time (unless I am filming them) - Ladania's Leap, Rappel, Oil Slick Leap. They also feed on ostracods. Great question!

 

[adiverslife]

What I can say is simply be respectful of them. Be aware of when they show up and at what dive sites. Look up before you stick your head out of the water and follow the procedure I mentioned in the video to exit the location. It works. Definitely covder up. I wore a high quality skin, head covering skin, booties, and surgical gloves. I was also filming them just a few centimeters away. They are up near the surface.

 

[adiverslife]

This is not correct. Where did you get this misinformation?

No, the Tamoya Ohboya are not as lethal as the Irukandji.

They are not. The lethal Australian Irukandji is a Malo maxima, not even in the same family.

Smithsonian's original article on the BBBJ is here.

Dr. Yanagihara stated they were in the same family as the Hawaiian Box Jellyfish. That is in the video.