THEY come in bright blue, orange and pink. Jellyfish sightings off the British coast have surged 32%, according to data collected by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).
They have names like Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, Barrel Jellyfish, Portuguese Man O’ War, Moon Jellyfish, Dustbin Lid Jellyfish, and Mauve Stinger, according to Sky News.
Jellyfish numbers vary each year, depending on changes in the environment like sea temperatures and storms – and there have been plenty of those just lately.
Jellyfish are regarded as indicator species, signalling changes in the ocean such as warming water.
“Research has suggested that an increase in some jellyfish numbers around the UK could be related to climate change. However, currently there isn’t enough evidence to make this link,” MCS says.
Mauve Stinger? MCS could do…