NEWS COPY – WITH PICTURES – By John Bett
Britain’s balmy spring sunshine has brought the first batch of giant JELLYFISH to the seaside.
These pictures of the tentacle-clad creatures were taken by shocked beach-goers in Devon.
The barrel jellyfish, which have tentacles up to six feet long, was spotted in the waves during low tide at Preston Sands, Paignton.
The species are usually found in more tropical areas such as the Mediterranean sea.
But the rising temperatures and warmer seas has meant more plankton becomes available and the jellyfish have headed closer to shore.
The dustbin lid-shaped species is harmless to humans but with the weather warming up experts say more could be heading our way.
A spokesman for the Cornish Wildlife Trust said they expected to see a lot more off the south west coast over the next few months.
He said: “In the spring tiny anemone like jellyfish ‘polyps’ living on the sea bed expand in size and then bud off thousands of tiny larvae.
“Most years these larvae will perish but in years where the conditions are good, temperatures are optimal, there is plenty of planktonic food and predators do not eat them all, large numbers of them will survive creating these huge jellyfish swarms.”
Beachgoers are advised not to touch jellyfish in case they have chanced upon a species with a powerful sting.
The Red Cross says that anyone who does get stung should not try and use urine to provide relief as the healing properties of pee are an urban myth.
Vinegar is said to be far more effective.
ENDS
