If you are a tourist planning to head for the Mediterranean basin for your summer vacations, you should better stay away from swimming on beaches. For the swelling number of jellyfish and their increasing number of attacks on humans has raised an alarm among environmentalists. Many species are believed to be eco-indicators, those that warn us humans about the side effects of our never-ending plundering. Certain insects, toads and jellyfishes are known to be excellent indicators. Scientists explain that such phenomenal growth in the number of these creatures and their swarming in the Mediterranean coastline every summer is a sure sign of nature out of sync.

According to Jacqueline Goy, of the Oceanographic Institute of Paris, “Jellyfish are an excellent bellwether for the environment,” and that “The more jellyfish, the stronger the signal that something has changed.” The scenario out there is somewhat like a science-fiction, where jellyfish sea monsters take revenge from humans. It is important to understand why this phenomenon is happening so often now a days? The rampant exploitation of oceanic resources by man is major concern regarding this.

Indiscriminate killing of ocean’s fauna has created vacuums within seas which are now being filled by the rapidly proliferation of these medusae. As per marine biologists when vertebrate species like fishes disappear from oceans, this gives invertebrates like jellyfishes a golden chance to reproduce and flourish. Reduced competition for food and absence of predators also help. Besides, over-fishing, rising global temperature (thanks to global warming) is also cited as a reason.

In the Mediterranean basin, their numbers are exploding. This has become a major threat to the native marine species existing there. Not only this, species like Pelagia noctiluca– whose tentacles can paralyse prey and cause burning rashes in humans are expected to make the waters unsafe for human recreational activities. All these are signs enough to get alarmed .We must learn to respect nature and draw certain limits…cause when nature hits back upon us its always in a violent manner!!

Via TimesOfIndia