There have been reports of Portuguese Man O’ War being spotted in the River Dart and a South Devon beach.
Dartmouth Harbour master reported a sighting, 200 yards north of the town’s jetty yesterday morning. There have also been sightings at Blackpool Sands.
The creatures have tentacle-like polyps that can give a painful and potentially lethal sting. They should not be touched.
The Portuguese man o’ war is not a jellyfish but is infact a siphonophore, a colonial organism made up of polyps which attach to each other and function as one.
More seen @RNLI_LGS_SH @DartRNLI @RNLISalcombe @outonashout Portuguese man o'war seen in River Dart and at Blackpool Sands
— South Hams District Council (@SouthHams_DC) September 24, 2017
Perranporth beach in Cornwall was closed after hundreds of the creatures were washed up earlier this month.
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