Potentially deadly “Blue Dragon” washes up on Australian shore to the locals’ surprise. The “Blue Dragon”, which is actually a rare sea slug, washed up on the shores of Queensland in Australia recently and amazed experts at first with its very presence in the area.
The visually stunning sea slug can usually be found mostly in tropical waters, floating along the ocean’s surface and drifting through currents far out to sea. This is why they are a scarce sight to researchers in general, as they are usually found so far out to sea and use their blue undersides to blend in with the surface water.
But recently one such slug has been found drifting on the Australian shores of Queensland. The fact that the creature wound up there is unusual to say the least, but the fact that the slug chose to get closer to humans doesn’t necessarily mean that it would be a good idea to pick one un and start playing with it. The Blue Dragon can be quite dangerous.
It seems that she slug secrets a deadly venom that could cause serious injury to whoever decides to touch it as it usually flows upside down in the water in order to attract and target blue bottle jellyfish. Once it has caught the blue bottle jellyfish it collects the poisonous cells of the jellyfish and uses these cells against their own predators at the proper time.
It has also developed many fascinating camouflaging capabilities as it possesses a beautiful blue underbelly and underside which enables it to blend in with the color of the water’s surface whilst it is actually floating upside down.
Under the water, its other silvery side also contributes to its disguise and so aids in its survival. With these unique qualities, the Blue Dragon manages to surf the water currents out at sea. What it is doing on the Australian coast could be explained by the migration of the Portuguese man o’ war population, which the Blue Dragons follow, towards this area.
But because the Blue Dragons gather the poisonous cells of the jellyfish on which they prey, they can still cause a nasty and potentially dangerous bite for human beings. Their sting can even be lethal as they can contain high deposits of venomous cells which they store for protection within their bodies.
People might be tempted to approach and even attempt to pick up a Blue Dragon because of their beauty and unique shape. However, people are advised that, when coming into contact with a Blue Dragon, the best thing to do is to maintain a safe distance from the creature and to try to admire it from afar.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org