A biologist researches the lethal nature of the box jellyfish.
To call 10-year-old Rachel Shardlow a survivor is an understatement.
In December, the girl tangled with a box jellyfish, one of the world's most venomous creatures, in the Calliope River near Gladstone, Australia.
"Usually when you see people who have been stung by box jellyfish with that number of the tentacle contacts on their body, it's usually in a morgue," Jamie Seymour, a zoology and tropical ecology associate professor at James Cook University told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The creature didn't just sting the girl. It enveloped her: Its tentacles wrapped around her limbs and wouldn't let go. She couldn't see or breathe. The creature, which is capable of killing an adult in four minutes, wrapped its tentacles tighter and knocked her unconscious.
"I don't know of anybody in the entire literature where we've studied this where someone has had such an extensive sting that has survived," Seymour told ABC. "When I first saw the pictures of the injuries I just went, 'you know to be honest, this kid should not be alive'. I mean they are horrific."
After several weeks in the hospital Shardlow is still feeling the effects - but the fact she is feeling anything at all - let alone doing as well as she is baffles Seymour. For now, besides scarring and memory loss, she is doing well, her family told ABC.
ABC: Young stinger victim speaks out
There have been others who have survived being stung by the deadly jellyfish, but Seymour said many of them are stung quickly, but not to the extent Shardlow was and with as many tentacles wrapped around them, Seymour said.
Seymour and other Queensland researchers received a $40,000 grant to investigate just how lethal is the venom of Irukandji and its relative box jellyfish. They will also look for treatments to help those like Shardlow who are stung by them.
The jellyfish, found often in the Great Barrier Reef, can have as many as 15 tentacles on each corner of its bodies with nearly 5,000 stinging cells, according to a guide to sea creatures posted on the Great Barrier Reef site.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Maybe this is similar to a "dry bite" that venomous snakes sometimes use. Most stings involve the jellyfish brushing up against an arm or leg. In that case the jellyfish has no idea how big the animal is, but could presumably be a fish and therefore eating size. So it stings away. However coming in total contact with this girl, perhaps it knew that the size of the animal was too large to eat, and the venom would be wasted killing it. I have no idea if a jellyfish could even determine this, or if they just attempt to sting everything they contact.
I notice that many of the believers have poor spelling/attention to detail....as the sample size (on this blog) grows, this pattern persists. This phenomenon seems to correlate to a child-like belief in make-believe...call it a "trend". Poor, scared, little creatures...
"Why can't you all just be happy that this poor little girl who had every chance of dying, didn't?"
I'll be happier if she can make a full recovery.
@Judith - and your so sure of when/if judgment day will occur huh?.. wow you are so knowledgeable and wise
I thank God 4 d grace given 2 d little girl 2 live.I believe it's hightime U GAVE UR LIVES 2 HIM all of u dat don't believe in God.A WORD THEY SAY IS ENOUGH 4 D WISE.
ya i agree.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1269236/Miracle-girl-10-survive-lethal-box-jellyfish-sting–worlds-venomous-creature.html
there's a picture of her leg. it is pretty messed up and not for the squeamish.
and yes, god had nothing to do with this. how do i know? he told me so, right before he prevented me from being killed by a giant asteroid this morning.
HOLY CRAP!!!! Calm down! God or no God, At least the girl is alive and should be ok. Stop looking into everything so much and just read the story....She is doing well.
Not really sure how anyone could deny the presence of God here. There are some things that science will never be able to explain. Remember, deny Him now and He will deny you later. This is definitely one of His divine MIRACLES. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery young lady. Tell your story and remember to give God praise for what He has done for you and you family!
Everytime you turn around someone HAS to disprove God. The Gospel of Christ is foolishness to those who are perishing. Hey fellas, dress lightly – won't need the jacket.
You all trip me out!! LOLOL!! Nonbelievers, you guys amaze me......Believers, I love yall too. But all yall just trip me out. Yall keep on keeping on......
This whole God's existence dispute was started by D. Solomon who attacked the atheist first. So don't go around saying they started it...
Atheist supports science which is the same throughout the world.
Religion supports a deity. But there's so many religions. Every religion has their own stories and all powerful beings to believe in. How do you know it's God's will or Zeus?
Quit bickering like kids.
"God saved the little girl, take or leave it. I pity you atheist because on judgement day the God you dont belive in wil be the one to judge you.believe in jesus christ and you shall be saved."
Judgment day was originally supposed to occur within one generation after Hayzeus's death. A bazillion generations later, the mass transit of souls to heaven is still being postponed.
As Mal (from the movie 'Serenity') said, "That's a long wait for a train don't come."
God may have saved this little girl but he still kills moms and puppys.
joseph_r
How is that way out in left field? Its called sience, which through the scientific method has been proven to be scientific fact. I didn't just make up natural selection and evolution