PROVINCETOWN, Mass., July 20 (Nationwide Times) — Officials and marine experts along the Massachusetts coast say lion’s mane jellyfish are turning up in unusual numbers this summer. The reports do not point to one scientific study or one official count. Instead, they show a pattern: repeated sightings from May through July, public-safety alerts in Beverly, beach-access limits in South Boston, and warnings from the New England Aquarium and the Sandwich harbormaster.
What are lion’s mane jellyfish?
Lion’s mane jellyfish are the largest jellyfish species, according to the Smithsonian Ocean, which is cited in the reporting. The Smithsonian says they can stretch as much as 120 feet from the top of the body to the tips of the tentacles. Some of the coverage puts the length at about 100 feet, so the exact figure varies by source.
Why are people being warned?
Because lion’s mane jellyfish can sting badly, and the danger does not always end when the animal washes ashore.
Beverly public-safety officials warned people to keep children and pets away from stranded jellyfish and not to touch jellyfish or detached tentacles, even if they look dead. The New England Aquarium gave similar advice, saying people should admire washed-up jellyfish from a safe distance.
The risk is not only from live jellyfish in the water. The reporting cites Smithsonian and Mayo Clinic guidance saying tentacles can still sting after the animal dies, with some reports saying the danger can last up to 25 days.
What have local officials seen?
The Sandwich harbormaster said in a Facebook post that lion’s mane jellyfish were appearing in “unusually large numbers off Cape Cod.” The same post said reports began in May and that exceptionally high densities were seen by mid-June.
In South Boston, the BCYF Curley Community Center said beach access was restricted after some swimmers were stung. Reports also said sightings stretched from the North Shore to Cape Cod, Nantucket, South Boston and parts of Maine.
Why might there be more of them?
Experts say there is usually no single reason for a jellyfish bloom.
Pete Gawne of the New England Aquarium said, “One of the questions we get a lot is how to predict this [situation], but there’s just so many inputs, from the water temperature to prevailing currents and wind that put these into contact with people.”
Owen Nichols, director of Marine Fisheries Research, said it is normal to see a few lion’s mane jellyfish in summer, “but we are already seeing more than we normally see in summer.” He said “dynamic regional oceanography is most likely the primary driver,” but added that “it’s rarely just one thing.”
In plain terms, that means water temperature, wind, currents, tides and food supply may all play a role. But the reporting does not identify one proven cause.
What should someone do after a sting?
The Mayo Clinic advice repeated in the reporting says to remove visible tentacles with fine tweezers, soak the area in hot water at about 110 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, and use hydrocortisone afterward.
The safest move is to stay away from stranded jellyfish and floating tentacles, even if they seem harmless. Local officials and marine experts say the safest way to look at one is from a distance.
