DLSU SHORE Center studies box jellyfish envenomation

THE DLSU BR. ALFRED SHIELDS FSC OCEAN RESEARCH (SHORE) CENTER, LED BY UNIVERSITY FELLOW DR. WILFREDO LICUANAN, is currently working on a research project to understand the ecology and envenomation of box jellyfishes.

The SHORE Center works in Lian, Batangas and Caramoan, Camarines Sur, with counterparts from the Department of Marine Science of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and the Department of Biology of Ateneo de Naga.

Recently approved by the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), the project was also able to receive funding from the Management Association of the Philippines for a citizen science component.

Aptly called the “Jellyfish Ecology and Envenomations Project (JEEP)”, the project seeks to generate and disseminate information that will help dispel fears and misconceptions about jellyfish envenomations, reduce deaths and related economic impacts in the fishing and tourism industries. JEEP conducts the initial studies on the identity, abundance, distribution, and seasonality of box jellyfishes and identifies high-risk areas and times of the year.

Box jellyfishes are considered among the most venomous sea creatures globally, and the true extent of the problems caused by envenomation by box jellyfishes is poorly known. Depending on the species, the amount of venom injected, and the victim’s age, the sting can be excruciating and can lead to permanent scarring, difficulty in breathing, cardiac arrest, and even death (sometimes within minutes).