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A social media video of a woman touching a Portuguese man o’war is a reminder not to mess with wildlife.
Videos by Outdoors with Bear Grylls
The person who posted the TikTok video has since deleted their account. However, a few screenshots shared online show the animal in a plastic cup. The woman in the video then touches the animal with her hands and appears to go in for a kiss. She does avoid being stung.
they put a man o’war in a cup. one of the most dangerous siphonophores, in a cup. casually. pic.twitter.com/ZyotMqo2ep
Many believe the man o’war is a jellyfish but is actually a siphonophore, a separate classification closely related to jellyfish. However, one thing both creatures share is a painful sting.
The man o’war uses its sting to kill fish that it then consumes. The animal does this with its tentacles containing microscopic capsules loaded with barbed tubes that eject the venom. While the sting is not usually deadly to a person, it’s very painful, and can easily leave a welt on someone’s skin.
Portuguese man o’wars live in warmer waters throughout the Atlantic Ocean. Wildlife officials say even if the animal is washed up on the beach, it can still sting you, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.
Want to see just how painful? Check out this video from animal experts at Brave Wilderness:
