Return of the Giant Jellyfish

Photograph from Kyodo via AP

Japan may be invaded by giant jellyfish again this year. Nomura’s jellyfish can be bigger than humans (up to 440 pounds, or 200 kilograms), and they’re big trouble for people fishing on the coasts. Nomura’s jellyfish breed in the waters off of the coast of China. From there they move to the coasts of Japan. The jellies clog nets and ruin potential catches with their toxic stings. This damage can cost the coastal fishers billions of yen.

Researchers at Hiroshima University have been monitoring sites where Nomura’s jellyfish breed, and they’ve found large numbers of the jellies, meaning that a new invasion may not be far away.

Read more about the jellyfish invasion on National Geographic News.

Learn more about Nomura’s jellyfish on National Geographic Kids.

Get the scoop on jellyfish in this Creature Feature.

Comments

emmierox33
August 1, 2009, 8:37 pm

That is scary (and interesting) I am so glad that I don’t live in Japan
ginger
August 8, 2009, 9:34 am

Wow. It’s so amazing.And I really want to see it.
pandagirl789
August 12, 2009, 2:46 pm

FREAKY. Canyou even go to the beach with those there? What happens if you get stung by one of those? Bad Things Right?
PurpleAnimalLUV
September 22, 2009, 3:48 pm

I’ve read about those and they have toxic stings and they can make your moms sick if you show them a picture! Yeah, they are freaky looking but they are so kool! And that’s cool, with a k!
marineboy8991
September 30, 2009, 6:31 am

Those things were probably brought in by global warming and it made a perfect breeding area there
syates
September 30, 2009, 6:38 pm

you got that right……. that would NOT be me behide that jellyfish!!!
emshemie3
October 8, 2009, 11:55 am

Whoa, that`s a lot of jelly! Some people weigh that much…
lab29
November 5, 2009, 8:32 am

i love jellyfish i think they are the coolest creatures ever i even wrote a song about them. maybe i would swim with them but probaly not with the Nomura jellyfish
lab29*
traveler
October 27, 2010, 2:16 am

I got stung by a jelli fish in fiji at the beach about two inches and dots got all over my body and my stomach got really hard and it hurts when you bend. i had to go to the hospital straight away i was screaming the whole way and had to miss school i live in fiji now i’m part fijian german mexican scottish and whole american

well bye