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OKINAWA, Japan - Okinawa is home to a variety of unique creatures, many not indigenous to the United States. Some of these animals may look harmless, but in reality they can be very dangerous and sometimes lethal.
A majority of hazardous wildlife on Okinawa is in the sea, with the exception of the habu snake.
The habu snake is a highly venomous and aggressive snake that inhabits Okinawa. These snakes are nocturnal, and caution should be taken when walking and jogging at night. Contact with these snakes is not likely, but if someone were to come into contact with them they should not attempt to capture or kill the animal.
The habu is one of the few hazardous land species on Okinawa, the majority of poisonous inhabitants live in the sea.
“Incidents are very rare for the amount of divers we have in the water, and I believe it is because of the safety videos and briefs we give,” said Ed Dunn, a scuba instructor with Kadena Marina.
In the sea, the most common dangerous aquatic life includes the lionfish, stonefish, crown-of-thorns starfish, sea snakes, blue-ringed octopus and jellyfish.
“To avoid contact with these animals, swimmers and divers should always watch where they step,” said Robert A. Zimmerman, the program manager for the scuba program at Marine Corps Community Services. “They should wear dive boots and scuba gloves, get educated on what to look for, and never touch any sea life they do not recognize.”
All dive shops on military installations offer classes to teach service members and their families about hazardous sea life and what to do if they come face-to-face with these creatures, according to Zimmerman.
“All dive instructors give classes about what to expect in the water,” said Dunn. “We also give a dangerous animals brief to newcomers on the island.”
Injuries caused by dangerous sea life on Okinawa are rare, as long as swimmers and divers are educated about the animals and remain aware of their surroundings.
“If someone does get stung by one of these animals, they should immediately get out of the water, flush the infected area with vinegar, which will stop the stinging, and seek medical assistance,” said Dunn.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.14.2012 20:30 |
| Story ID: | 90025 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Attention to surroundings, harmful species key, by Cpl Brianna Christensen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
