Shark expert shares how to stay safe at the beach from ocean predator over holiday weekend
Dr. Robert Hueter, OCEARCH's Senior Advisor for Science & Academics, shared with Fox News Digital how beachgoers can stay safe from sharks over the Fourth of July weekend. (Fox News Digital)
Venomous creatures were spotted washing up on the beaches of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and the National Park Service sent out a warning about the punch these slugs pack.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore posted on Facebook that Blue Sea Dragons (Glaucus atlanticus) have been spotted on the beaches.
"This venomous sea slug lives in the open ocean and occasionally gets stranded on land following strong winds," officials from the National Seashore posted to Facebook. "They may only grow to about an inch long, but don't let their size fool you. They pack a punch!"
According to Oceana.org, Blue Sea Dragons go by other names like sea swallow or blue angel and can grow to about 1.3 inches.
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Blue Sea Dragons are washing onto the beaches in the Outer Banks, including Cape Hatteras National Seashore, in North Carolina. (Cape Hatteras National Seashore Facebook Post)
They are often found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans in tropical and subtropical waters.
The specimen is considered a sea slug and spends most of its life floating upside-down at the surface and staying afloat by storing air bubbles in its stomach, the organization wrote.
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Drone aerial view of Outer Banks Highway 12 with Atlantic Ocean and Sound on both sides, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. (Photo by: Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials say Blue Sea Dragons move through ocean currents feeding on their meal of choice: the Portuguese man o’ war.
"Because their meals consist of such a venomous creature, they are capable of storing that venom for their own defense," the park service wrote. "They concentrate that ingested venom and deliver a sting that is even more powerful! Talk about a fiery bite for such a small dragon."
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Blue dragon or Floating sea slug (Glaucus atlanticus), Glaucidae. Artwork by Brigette James. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)
Since these tiny slugs carry such a strong toxin, park officials advise anyone who comes across one of these blue beauties to admire it from a safe distance and be cautious of others nearby.
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"Blue Sea Dragons can travel in groups known as ‘Blue Fleets,’" the post read. "If they are discovered, dead or alive, they remain venomous. Please enjoy this fascinating organism without touching it."
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