There are a lot of reasons people should not be taking shells from Zanzibars beaches and waters, but after having dealt with an unexpected incident tonight, I have to share just how serious the consequences can be. The picture below shows the shell of a cone snail. Its an attractive shell that, unfortunately, is also potentially deadly. The cone snail is one of the most venomous creatures on the planet. There is someone in hospital in Zanzibar right now that is half paralyzed after playing with one of these today. There is no anti-venom for it. Nothing can be done except to wait and see if the person can survive until the toxins wear off. This is not a reason to panic because, admittedly, its the first case Ive seen in 10 years on the island and is therefore a very rare danger, but it exists nonetheless. By discouraging people from collecting shells this can easily be avoided. If you want to know more see animals.nationalgeographic/animals/invertebrates/geographers-cone-snail/. Be safe and be informed.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 21:53:12 +0000
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