The compass jellyfish, a poisonous species, raises concerns among beachgoers in western Turkey's Çanakkale. More compass jellyfish, whose usual habitat is further south, are showing up in the Aegean province, both on its beaches and across the Dardanelles strait, which divides the province and is the only waterway separating the Aegean from the Marmara Sea and Black Sea.
Marine animals are apparently migrating north from the Mediterranean Sea's southern regions to which they are endemic in an occurrence associated with climate change. An increase of 2 degrees Celsius (3.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in seawater temperatures and pollution help the species thrive in areas outside their traditional habitat according to experts.
It stands out among other subspecies of jellyfish since despite having the same translucent skin, some compass jellyfish can be red, brown or yellow in color. Their long tentacles, which can reach 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length, also distinguish the compass jellyfish from its fellow marine animals. Previously uncommon in the Marmara and the Black Sea, they are apparently encouraged by warming temperatures in the region that provide a better reproduction environment, according to experts. The pollution, meanwhile, is a blow to seafood fit for human consumption, but it means more food for the carnivorous animal.
Professor Muhammet Türkoğlu, a marine sciences expert from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, told Demirören News Agency (DHA) on Monday that people should "absolutely" stay away from compass jellyfish. "If you touch it while swimming, you should immediately get out and wash the body part that came into contact with ammonium or vinegar. Be careful not to wash it with freshwater," he warned. Türkoğlu also said people should not touch the carcasses of compass jellyfish that wash ashore. "Tentacles of jellyfish, whether they be dead or alive, are full of sticky, stinging cells. When exposed, the substance in those cells causes a rash and similar symptoms on skin," he warned.
The clusters of jellyfish that washed ashore across Turkish beaches from the north to the south had raised concerns ahead of the swimming season. Turkey is littoral to the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara and Black Sea, which are home to 18 jellyfish species, including toxic ones and those that prey on fish and thus threaten fishing and the overall marine ecosystem. The Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV) runs a database on jellyfish that volunteers contribute to by reporting sightings. The database on a website called "Ya Yakarsa" ("What If It Burns"), helps swimmers locate the jellyfish threat and assess the risk from gelatinous organisms similar to jellyfish. TÜDAV says several among the jellyfish sighted in Turkish seas are the "most dangerous" variety, including the Drymonema dalmatinum, also known as the "stinging cauliflower," a venomous jellyfish that can reach up to 2 meters in diameter and up to a meter in length.
