How Portuguese Man O’ War Stings and Eats Prey

Underwater film crews braved the toxic tentacles of the notorious killing machine as it goes about catching and digesting prey with squeamish efficiency.

Dramatic music and Sir David Attenborough’s authoritative tones accompany the gripping footage that shows how the jellyfish feasts on unsuspecting fish in the latest episode “Big Blue” of the critically-acclaimed series.

With its long, poisonous threads trailing up to 100ft through the waters off the Canary Islands, any fish that get too close makes easy pickings.

Sir David said in the clip as they glutinous jellyfish bobs on the swell: “A single tentacle could kill a fish or, in rare cases, a human.”