I’m out here on the Great Barrier Reef
we’re looking for a venomous fish
specifically at the stonefish it’s
elusive but also very dangerous we’re
gonna have to be careful the stone fish
is armed with 13 dorsal spines that
penetrate flesh and inject a toxic brew
of the 1,200 venomous fish on earth this
one is the most lethal Jamie needs to
collect venom from a stone fish to
supply to anti-venom facilities
anti-venom is made by injecting
non-lethal quantities of venom into a
horse or other creature the animals
immune system produces antibodies that
neutralize the toxins blood samples are
drawn and centrifuged the remaining
white blood cells contain the precious
antibodies this is the serum that the
hospital’s administered to victims of
envenomations
Jaime’s goal is to catch a stonefish for
milking so labs can regularly produce
the antidote
I’m gonna help him catch it right off
the bat I encounter venomous creature
stonefish are just hidden but blend in
superbly with their surroundings stone
fish will camouflage I’m not gonna just
jump right out at us
suddenly Jamie spots something I see it
I seen it just don’t pitch it’s a stone
fish right there that’s incredible
I would never have seen that thing not
in a million years Jamie what you
pointed it out I would swear I’m writing
it’s a master of camouflage
the stonefish situates itself in sand or
coral then lies and wait for an
unsuspecting meal to swim by and when it
does it’s over in a flash the stone fish
creates a vacuum by expanding its oral
cavity then sucks in its prey in less
than a hundredth of a second the spines
of the stone fish however play no role
in predation it doesn’t use its venom to
get prey the venom is only used in a
defensive fashion the stone fish has an
arsenal of 18 spines but it’s the 13
venomous points along its back that can
easily drop a human most envenomations
are caused by accidentally stepping on
the needle sharp points each one is
connected to two venom glands that’s 26
chances friend of animation when a foot
steps down those glands engage forcing
venom into soft tissue like hypodermic
needles
moments after the stain you feel
excruciating pain in the sight as venom
literally blows holes in your cell
membranes then fluid floods into the
surrounding tissue causing extreme
swelling of the limb as the toxins move
through your body the vascular system
dilates resulting in a drop in blood
pressure and an erratic heartbeat
worst case scenario death from lack of
oxygen to the brain
we’re looking for a venomous fish
specifically at the stonefish it’s
elusive but also very dangerous we’re
gonna have to be careful the stone fish
is armed with 13 dorsal spines that
penetrate flesh and inject a toxic brew
of the 1,200 venomous fish on earth this
one is the most lethal Jamie needs to
collect venom from a stone fish to
supply to anti-venom facilities
anti-venom is made by injecting
non-lethal quantities of venom into a
horse or other creature the animals
immune system produces antibodies that
neutralize the toxins blood samples are
drawn and centrifuged the remaining
white blood cells contain the precious
antibodies this is the serum that the
hospital’s administered to victims of
envenomations
Jaime’s goal is to catch a stonefish for
milking so labs can regularly produce
the antidote
I’m gonna help him catch it right off
the bat I encounter venomous creature
stonefish are just hidden but blend in
superbly with their surroundings stone
fish will camouflage I’m not gonna just
jump right out at us
suddenly Jamie spots something I see it
I seen it just don’t pitch it’s a stone
fish right there that’s incredible
I would never have seen that thing not
in a million years Jamie what you
pointed it out I would swear I’m writing
it’s a master of camouflage
the stonefish situates itself in sand or
coral then lies and wait for an
unsuspecting meal to swim by and when it
does it’s over in a flash the stone fish
creates a vacuum by expanding its oral
cavity then sucks in its prey in less
than a hundredth of a second the spines
of the stone fish however play no role
in predation it doesn’t use its venom to
get prey the venom is only used in a
defensive fashion the stone fish has an
arsenal of 18 spines but it’s the 13
venomous points along its back that can
easily drop a human most envenomations
are caused by accidentally stepping on
the needle sharp points each one is
connected to two venom glands that’s 26
chances friend of animation when a foot
steps down those glands engage forcing
venom into soft tissue like hypodermic
needles
moments after the stain you feel
excruciating pain in the sight as venom
literally blows holes in your cell
membranes then fluid floods into the
surrounding tissue causing extreme
swelling of the limb as the toxins move
through your body the vascular system
dilates resulting in a drop in blood
pressure and an erratic heartbeat
worst case scenario death from lack of
oxygen to the brain
Please follow and like us: