Berhampur: The carcasses of jellyfish were spotted today in large numbers on an area spanning around 500 metres and away from Gopalpur main beach towards Haripur sea mouth in Ganjam district.
This has troubled many environmentalists and nature lovers.
The actual cause behind the deaths has not been ascertained yet.
According to a source, carcasses of the aquatic animal were swept away and got stuck on the shore. There is a probability that some carcasses might have been carried into the sea by tide.
Due to the Southern wind and tide in the sea, the jellyfishes come ashore, but fail to return because of their slow pace. Hence, die gradually. Such occurrences are often seen in a year.
“Usually, jellyfishes do not come ashore for any specific reason. The aquatic animals reproduce during this season and their number multiplies in large numbers,” a Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientist Dr. Anil Mohapatra said when contacted.
“Temperature variation could be a factor responsible for jellyfish bloom and warmer temperatures also contribute to it,” the ZSI scientist added.
“Jellyfishes get stuck to our fishing nets and later die when we venture into the deep sea at night,” some local fishermen expressed.
Worth mentioning, jellyfishes were previously found dead on Gopalpur beach on March 28, this year.
