What jellyfish can tell us about the health of the ocean

Swarms of jellyfish are becoming increasingly common sightings for beachgoers. Their abundance reveals valuable and slightly worrying information about the health of our oceans.

You don’t have to live near the coast to know that life in the ocean has become tumultuous.

Endless plastic pollution, overfishing, warming waters, and continued loss of vital habitats such as coral reefs have caused the endangerment of thousands of marine species. This especially includes larger animals like sharks, whales, large fish, and turtles.

But there is one creature that serves to benefit from a depleting number of large predators and rapidly warmer waters. That is the 4,000 known species of jellyfish floating around our seas.

The last twenty years have seen jellyfish populations soar, resulting in large swarms being spotted by boaters, beachgoers, and commercial fishermen. Anyone getting Finding Nemo flashbacks?

So what factors are causing the jellies to thrive while other marine animals struggle to adapt to a changing climate? Let’s take a look.