6 Times the Beach Proved to Be the Ultimate Place for Mysteries

Nothing is probably as relaxing as a sunny day on the beach. But even the most carefree vacation can be ruined by these little guys if you unexpectedly come across them. These sea creatures, snails, starfish, and even snakes, are beautiful but venomous, and they may be lying right next to you while you are sunbathing.

We at Bright Side created a list of the most dangerous beach animals you may encounter during your vacation, and we want to share it with our readers so they don’t get into trouble when facing these sea creatures. Stay tuned for the bonus at the end.

1. Portuguese Man o’ War

Even though the Portuguese man o’ war looks like a jellyfish, it is actually an animal that is created from the other smaller animals called zooids. A Portuguese man o’ war can deliver a painful sting that is powerful enough to kill a fish. These animals inhabit the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Although this hasn’t happened frequently, there were occasions when the Portuguese man o’ war has killed humans.

2. Cone snails

If you’ve ever been on a beach, you’ve probably seen colorful shells lying on the sand. The next time you do this, be careful because these shells may contain venomous snails. The snail, if disturbed, may fire its harpoon and penetrate human skin. The bigger and brighter the shell is, the more dangerous the snail is that lives inside. While smaller ones do less harm, the sting of bigger ones can be fatal.

3. Sea urchins

Sea urchins are animals that inhabit all the oceans around the world. With their sharp spikes, they very effectively defend themselves. Their stings may cause serious harm to humans and, if pierced, may damage the skin and even the bone. However, for those who like to collect natural souvenirs, the dried shells of sea urchins — these beautiful round husks — are harmless.

4. Beaked sea snake

The beaked sea snake is known to be one of the most aggressive species among sea snakes. It is extremely venomous and can even cause death to humans. Though they don’t usually tend to attack people, they may still try to protect themselves if they feel in danger.

5. Crown-of-thorns starfish

This starfish got its name because of its sharp venomous spikes that look like thorns. It penetrates its victims’ tissue and injects venom inside. In humans, the crown of thorn’s venom causes various unpleasant consequences, including sharp pain at the site of the perforation and nausea that may last for several days.

6. Blue Dragon

This little blue creature is not as cute as it seems to be. Blue Glaucus, or Blue Dragon, is a sea slug that grows to a maximum of 3 centimeters long. However, it manages to feed on Portuguese man o’ war, the huge jellyfish that we mentioned above. The dragon accumulates the Portuguese man o’ war’s venom and can severely sting if they feel in danger or even if they are simply touched accidentally.

Bonus: These sand sculptures formed by strong winds eroding frozen sand.

Did you know about these beach inhabitants? Have you ever seen them during a vacation at the beach? Tell us in the comment section below.