‘Mega swarm’ of jellyfish washes up on UK beaches
- By Web Desk -
- May 15, 2017
LONDON: A ‘mega swarm’ of giant jellyfish has washed ashore on the UK coastline, drawing beachgoers attention towards an unusual sight.
Thousands of the barrel creatures, which can grow up to three feet in diameter, have washed up on beaches along Pembrokeshire, in the south west of Wales.
And there is currently more than 300 of them at New Quay.
Mass sightings have also been reported on the coastline at the resorts of Tenby, Saundersfoot and Newport.
Marine expert Sarah Perry said: ‘This is definitely a mega swarm. I have never seen them this big before.
‘They wash up each year but this is unusual because of the vast numbers and their size reaching 35 inches in diameter.’
Ms Perry, from the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre believes the recent warm weather and a series of mild winters have allowed their main food source of plankton to thrive.
Holidaymaker Wilson Dyer, from Suffolk, said: ‘I’ve been holidaying here for 40 years and I’ve never seen this before.
While Ms Perry said the abundance of washed up jellyfish could attract feeding leatherback turtles which would be an ‘amazing sight’.
She said: ‘People should not move or touch the jellyfish.