Freediver spots giant jellyfish off the coast of Wales
Twenty-one-year-old freediver and conservationist Iestin Morgan spotted a giant lion’s mane jellyfish near Trefin Beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales. He estimated its size at approximately 10–15 metres: the animal appeared to him to be as long as a bus or a small train.
Tentacles extended beyond visibility
Morgan said he initially saw several tentacles in the water, but there were increasingly more of them. According to him, the tentacles stretched farther than he could see underwater. At first, the freediver assumed he had encountered a compass jellyfish, common in British waters, but later realised that this animal was much larger.
For Morgan, this was his first encounter with a lion’s mane jellyfish in Welsh waters. He films marine creatures for social media to draw attention to the threats facing the seas. This was reported by Asharq Al-Awsat, citing the BBC.
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Long, stinging tentacles
Lion’s mane jellyfish are more commonly found in colder waters near Scotland. According to The Wildlife Trusts, the species got its name because of its long tentacles. The jellyfish can grow up to three metres long, while its tentacles, which it uses to catch prey, can reach more than 30–36.5 metres. This makes it one of the longest animals on Earth.
University of Southampton marine biologist Katie Lucas noted that Morgan’s video demonstrates the animal’s considerable length. She warned that the thin tentacles are difficult to spot and that detached fragments of them can sting. According to the scientist, the jellyfish’s sting is painful and the strongest in the United Kingdom, but it is not dangerous.
