A GIANT Lions Mane jellyfish has been found on a beach in Donegal.
Clodagh Harney and a group of holidaymakers made the discovery last Friday on Tramore Beach in Rosbeg.
The lion’s mane jellyfish is one of the largest jelly species in the world and prefers the cooler waters of the Irish Sea and especially the waters off Dublin.
Recently an increase has been seen in waters in Donegal with a Lions Mane also spotted in Donegal last summer.
The Lion’s Mane stinging cells are much sharper and can pierce skin easily resulting in a painful sting. Jellyfish stings in Ireland are not usually life threatening and just require basic first aid and simple pain relief.
What to do if you have been stung
Remove yourself from the water / vicinity of the jellyfish
If helping someone else make sure you don’t get stung yourself
Seek help and advice from lifeguards if you are on a lifeguarded beach
Try to carefully remove any attached tentacles by
- flushing the sting area with sea water
- removing tentacles with gloved hands, clean stick, tweezers, or scraping gently with the edge of a credit card. Don’t try to rub them off.
Mild symptoms of pain and swelling can be treated with simple painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
Mild itching at the sting site may respond to anti-histamine creams
Apply a ‘dry cold pack’ to the area (i.e. place a cold pack or ice inside a plastic bag and then wrap this package in a t-shirt or other piece of cloth)
Use HOT WATER for Portuguese Man O’War stings at approximately 45° Celsius for 20 minutes
Keep any puncture wounds clean and dry to avoid them getting infected
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