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Tuesday, December 24, 2024
WorldTourists warned of venomous jellyfish in Ibiza

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Tourists warned of venomous jellyfish in Ibiza

Ibiza is renowned for its all-night celebrations, scorching temperatures, and, of course, its breathtaking beaches.

But a rare deadly jellyfish with a sting that can leave permanent scars is being cautioned about by locals who frequent its sandy coastlines.

In recent weeks, mauve stingers, scientifically known as pelagia noctiluca, have been washing up on the well-liked Balearic vacation island off the coast of Spain.

Long tentacles that can reach approximately 10 feet in length are a characteristic of jellyfish.

Its sting feels like a jolt from a nine-volt battery, which produces a burning sensation, red rashes, painful marks and inflammation of the skin.

The best protection against it is sunscreen, which stops the venom penetrating.

But for those who don’t have sunscreen, an app called Medusas has even been developed to warn tourists of areas on the island to avoid.

jellyfish
The stings can leave permanent scars on human skin (Picture: Bav Media)
jellyfish
The jellyfish have been washing up on the shores because of mild weather, warm temperatures and little rainfall (Picture: Bav Media)

As well as being purple, the jellyfish can appear in shades of pink, light brown or even yellow.

What makes them different to normal jellyfish is the stinging cells they have all over their bodies.

Blooms of mauve stingers used to wash up in Ibiza around once every 12 years until the 1980s.

But in recent years, their appearance has become more common and they are now seen annually on average.

It is believed the recent mild weather, unusually warm temperatures and little rainfall on the island has encouraged the jellyfish back.

A decrease in mauve stinger predators like swordfish and tuna, due to over-fishing, has also led to an increase of the jellyfish.

Ibiza is not the only location where unusual jellyfish have been spotted in recent months.

Portuguese man o’war jellyfish, which cause whip-like wounds from their stings, have been spotted around UK beaches.

The Marine Conservation Society reported a total of 1,315 jellyfish sightings, including a 2% increase in man o’war sightings between from 2021 to 2022.

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