One of the most common animals in the sea is the jellyfish. This is an animal that drifts in the current and moves slowly, but is able to burn anyone who touches or approaches it too closely, which can be very painful and even produce a burn on the skin.
Every year, huge swarms of jellyfish visit Israel, which in many cases prevent the public from swimming in the sea, since the water is filled with the burning chambers of those swarms. Unlike previous years, swarms of jellyfish did not hit the shores of our country en masse this year. We turned to Dr. Dor Adelist of the University of Haifa and the Ruppin Academic Center, in an attempt to understand what was behind the reason.
A huge swarm of jellyfish in the Haifa Bay area, last year // Photo: Rotem Sadeh - Israel Nature and Parks Authority
"Every year is different from the previous ones, and in this respect we are not surprised by the fact that huge swarms of jellyfish did not arrive this year, because we already experienced such a phenomenon in 2016," Dr. Adelist explained. "However, it's important to note that just because there were no mass jellyfish swarms this year doesn't mean the case will happen again next year."
Dr. Adelist added that the appearance of jellyfish (and its lack thereof) has a series of explanations, all of which together give an idea of the activity of the complex ecosystem and the unique life cycle of jellyfish. "Seawater warmed relatively late this year, which may have disrupted the jellyfish breeding season and cycle. The sea currents that carry them north were also relatively weak, and even a few winter storms could cause a lack of food in the water for the jellyfish," he explained.
"In collaboration with the European Union's ILIAD project, we have established a network of organizations similar to us that map swarms of jellyfish in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as a predictive system for their movement based on the data collected. So, for example, we were able to say relatively early in the season that no large swarms would come," he added.
They must have reached the beach dying or dying. Jellyfish on the beach in Ashdod (archive), photo: Yehuda Peretz
Flowing animal
One of the most important factors on the arrival of jellyfish on the shores is sea currents. Jellyfish know where they want to move, and they do it with the currents in the deep water, so if you encounter a jellyfish near the shore, it is likely that it is dying or even already dead. This may be because the jellyfish has already fulfilled its role and multiplied, or the water temperature was too hot to hurt it, or it may have run out of strength to fight the currents and waves.
But what should be done if you encounter a jellyfish in the water? Dr. Adelist recommends a very simple action – stay away from it. "You can take diving goggles and look from a distance at this beautiful animal as it moves underwater. It is also important to note that not all jellyfish burn and harm humans (the main jellyfish that does this on Israel's shores is the wandering wire, A.G.) and also that not all parts of the jellyfish burn," he said.
If you are burned by jellyfish, Dr. Adelist points out that the best way to treat the burn is by rinsing it with seawater, and later treating it as a burn. "A long study showed that after washing the affected area with sea water only (and not plain water, which may aggravate the situation), the place should be treated as a regular burn, and aloe vera or another anti-burn ointment should be applied to it," he elaborated. "If it's a serious burn and has systemic side effects, then seek medical attention."
Not every part of them burns. Jellyfish on the beaches of Ashdod (archive), photo: Liron Moldovan
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us