Woolwich Baths, Hunters Hill: Urgent warning after deadly blue-ringed octopus is discovered at public baths in one of Australia’s most exclusive suburbs
A desperate warning has been issued after a child picked up a deadly sea creature at a popular swimming spot.
The boy was enjoying a day in the water at Sydney’s Woolwich Baths on Wednesday when he came into contact with and picked up a blue-ringed octopus.
Despite being only four to six inches long, a blue-ringed octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adults in minutes.
He was rushed to hospital as a precaution, but was not injured.
Hunters Hill Council warned anyone swimming in the pools over the Easter long weekend to ‘beware’ of the danger.
The boy was enjoying a day in the water at Sydney’s Woolwich Baths (pictured) on Wednesday when he came into contact with and picked up a blue-ringed octopus.
Despite being only four to six inches long, a blue-ringed octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adults in minutes
A council spokesperson said signs had been installed to warn swimmers at the netted beach, located between multi-million dollar homes along Sydney Harbour.
“We always advise people to keep children in or around water under active supervision at all times,” the spokesperson said Yahoo.
Although the potentially deadly creatures are sometimes spotted in the harbour, they are not as commonly encountered as Woolwich, about 10km from the ocean.
The blue-ringed octopus gets its name from the vibrant blue rings that light up when it feels threatened.
A bite from its sharp beak at the bottom injects a victim with poison a thousand times stronger than cyanide. There is no known antidote.
Adding to their dangerous arsenal is the ability to camouflage between rocks and grenades.
A council spokesperson said signs had been placed to warn swimmers at the netted beach, located between multi-million dollar homes along Sydney Harbour.
Sightings of the creatures increased across Australia over the summer, with a teenage boy hospitalized after being bitten at Perth’s Shoalwater Beach in December.
Jacob Eggington, 18, had collected some shells on the beach with his cousin and discovered the poisonous creature in one of them.
The blue-ringed octopus left a small, painless bite mark on his leg and within 30 minutes his nervous system and lungs began to shut down.
Miraculously, he survived the ordeal.