Blue ringed octopus spotted in Clifton Springs sparks community warning

Blue ringed octopus have been spotted on the Bellarine, sparking fresh warnings about the deadly sea creature.

A community warning has been issued after blue ringed octopuses were spotted in Clifton Springs.

A deadly sea creature has been spotted on the Bellarine, sparking a community warning.

Blue ringed octopuses have been seen at the Clifton Springs boat ramp and at The Dell, the town’s foreshore area.

The Clifton Springs Curlewis Coastcare Group issued a warning to the community on social media on Friday, urging residents to steer clear of the small creature.

Those going to the beach have been warned to not walk through seagrass, lift up rocks or attempt to touch or move the octopus.

Blue ringed octopus are of the world’s most venomous animals and tend to be found in rock pools and shallow reefs across Australia.

They possess a toxin, called tetrodotoxin, in their saliva they can administer with a bite, which is usually painless.

If a person is bitten, the toxin can cause paralysis of the respiratory muscles, leading to a lack of oxygen and death.

The animal carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans, according to Surf Life Saving Australia.

In 2018, a man spotted a blue ringed octopus while fishing at a pier in North Shore.

He said it was about the size of a tennis ball.

Another was spotted in rock pools in Jan Juc in 2019 and was the size was a 50c coin.

Originally published as Blue ringed octopus spotted in Clifton Springs sparks community warning