5 Dangerous Animals to Look Out For In The Tide Pools
“How can I stay safe on the coast?” is a common tide pooling question. While you are far more likely to be injured by a wave or a rock in the tide pools ^(https://www.blogquicker.com/goto/https://thetidepooler.com/2023/07/30/tide-pooling-safety-101/), some animals can potentially harm you. We’ll discuss only a few of them here.
Depending on where you are in the world, you will encounter different dangerous animals in the intertidal. In Australia, you might see the venomous blue ring octopus (Genus Hapalochlaena). In Japan, you could encounter a deadly sea crate. On our own coasts, a large seal or sea lion, although they look cuddly, can do a human serious harm. The kinds of dangerous animals and the severity of the injury will vary from place to place, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with dangerous animals in your areas. Just because an animal isn’t mentioned here doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you.
Remember, no animal in the intertidal is hunting you. If you are injured, the animal likely acted in self-defense when threatened because you were too close or handling it. Show respect to all intertidal life, and you aren’t likely to get hurt.
Sea Urchins
Sea urchins are probably the biggest culprits for animal-caused injuries in the tide pools. Their sharp spines can easily pierce the skin and find their way into the bare feet of many beachgoers and tide pools. I have a victim of these spines myself after slipping into an urchin bed while barefoot. The best way to protect yourself is to wear shoes ^(https://www.blogquicker.com/goto/https://thetidepooler.com/2023/02/15/shoes-to-wear-to-the-tide-pools/) and don’t touch them.
Most sea urchins won’t do you serious damage. Although a few species have venom, most spines only cause irritating puncture wounds with broken spines embedded in the skins that should be removed. Be careful not to break them while pulling them out. Some species, like the long-spined urchins in Hawaii, have spines so thin they are difficult to see in the skin; brushing against one of these feels more like a sting than a puncture.
Sea Jellies
Jellies and their cousins, the hydroids, are known for stinging unsuspecting beachgoers, and most people have learned not to touch them. While most aren’t particularly dangerous, some can inflict medically significant stings that need treatment and can be fatal. The box jellies (Class Cubozoa) of Australia are often found in very shallow waters, and the Portuguese Man-O-War (Genus Physalia) can wash up on any beach around the world. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking at, don’t touch it. It isn’t worth the risk. For minor cnidarian stings, applying vinegar to the area (as long as it’s not an open wound) can help ease the pain. For major pain and swelling, seek medical attention.
Stingrays
No brainer here. Stingrays come armed with toxic barbs on the ends of their tails. While they are only used for defense, they can pack quite a punch, and hundreds of beachgoers are stung every year after accidentally stepping on a ray. The best way to avoid rays is to shuffle your feet while beach combing in shallow water. If you want to keep the water clear, watch where you step and don’t make sudden movements if you see a ray. They don’t want to sting you any more than you do. I have found some rays to be rather curious and get close if I stand still. If you do get stung, seek medical attention or flag down a lifeguard who will know the local species. Most stings are painful but not life-threatening while a few can be a medical emergency.
Pinnipeds
The seals, sea lions, and other pinnipeds that haul out on the rocks to warm up and have their young present a danger to tidepoolers, but no more than you present to them. Human interaction has caused mothers to abandon pups or sick animals to return to the water, where they will likely drown. For their safety, keep your distance. For your safety, also keep your distance. These animals can all bite and they are far bigger than you. A male California sea lion can weigh more than a thousand pounds; it won’t go in your favor if you aggravate him.
Pinnipeds are a treat to see at the tide pools. If the animal is looking at you or changing its behavior you’re too close. Many of these creatures are also legally protected, so check your local laws to ensure you are not disturbing a sensitive species.
Fireworms
Fireworms (Family Amphinomidae) are one of the lesser-known tide pool animals, never mind being known for injuries. These polychaete worms are found throughout the world in shallow water and tide pools and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be quite large (a foot or so at the most in the intertidal) and have “bristles” on their bodies that look soft and fuzzy. But I assure you they most definitely are not. Fireworms get their name from the burning sensation when their bristles lodge in your skin. Even the slightest brush against one of these animals will result in hundreds, if not thousands, of minuscule, fiberglass-like “hairs” embedded in your skin. They are so thin in some species that you can barely see them. While some are only mildly annoying, others can cause nausea, dizziness, and severe pain, which can cause other safety concerns in the intertidal ^(https://www.blogquicker.com/goto/https://thetidepooler.com/2023/07/30/tide-pooling-safety-101/). Whatever the species, they are all extremely difficult to remove. Far too thin and numerous to be removed with tweezers, the best method is often to gently lay a piece of tape on the area and gently remove it. This will pull most of the bristles out of your skin. Beyond that, try not to scratch; it will make the toxin spread faster.
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