Video: Jellyfish Swarm in the Thousands Surrounds a Lone Boat on Haifa Bay, Israel

A jellyfish swarm were caught by drone video surrounding a lone boat on Haifa Bay, Israel, according to local sources in recent days.

The swarm of thousands of jellyfish reportedly came from the Red Sea and into Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal as temperatures continue to increase due to global warming.

The jellyfish population is concentrated off the coast off Haifa Bay, which people recently avoid due to the growing numbers of the gelatinous beings amid the country's hot summer season this year, which lasts from May to September.

While the unusual phenomenon remains contested, Israeli authorities believe it is caused by global warming.

Understanding of the link between jellyfish and climate change is still at its infancy.

However, previous reports and research suggested that the behavior and presence of the marine animals are affected by high temperatures.

This is especially the case during the summer season in Israel and around the world.

Also referred to as sea jellies, the alternative jellyfish name was derived due to their gelatinous state. This is in addition to them being invertebrates, or animal with no backbones.

Conventional knowledge shows the marine creatures have no brains, heart, and eyes. However, they are subject to genetic research due to their cellular regenerative capabilities.

Jellyfish Swarm Video

(Photo : Photo by FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

In the drone video posted by the YouTube channel i24News English, it can be seen that a colossal swarm of jelly were surrounding a lone boat during a tour.

The footage was originally taken by Raya Soarki, the director general of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, along with a marine unit on July 19.

The sea of jellyfish is visible in the crystal blue waters offshore a busy tourist beach destination in the Mediterranean coast in western Israel.

Local authorities said the swarm is causing damage in the area, as the blob-like creatures also made their way to desalination plants and power-generating machinery that uses seawater.

Also Read: New Jellyfish Species Discovered in the Philippines

Haifa Bay: The Sea of Jellyfish

There is a parallel increase as the water gets hotter and the number of jellyfish spikes in the Haifa Bay, according to Guy Lavian, a marine ranger at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, as cited by Reuters.

Lavian asserts that global warming contributes to the massive swarm, which causes damage in the area.

First, the jellyfish competes with other sea creatures for food and the marine ecosystem in general.

The other reason is evident since the gelatinous swarm are dangerous due to the notorious reputation of stinging swimmers.

Ecological Imbalance and Climate Change

The ecological imbalance due to the presence of the climate change-triggered jellyfish swarm has been confirmed before by various research. One of them is from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

According to the UCSD, the impact of climate change in the ocean is expected to yield in an increase in jellyfish population in some regions, while decreasing it in other places.

The warm waters favor jellyfish growth but only under the condition it has enough food.

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