Jellyfish have multiplied in oceans, causing problems worldwide. In New Zealand, tiny stinging jellyfish pester divers, while in Sweden, large moon jellyfish clogged a nuclear plant. Nomura's jellyfish in Japan destroyed fishing nets. These creatures consume fish eggs, hinder marine farms, and outcompete adult fish. Sea turtles, especially leatherbacks, are ancient jellyfish predators. Leatherbacks, the largest sea turtles, eat mostly jellyfish, needing about 400 kg daily due to their low-calorie content. The turtles' protection lies in their tough scales and esophagus spikes, making jellyfish stings ineffective. Still, jellyfish populations expand due to various factors like climate change and pollution. Solutions include protecting turtle predators from threats like gillnets. LEDs on nets help sea turtles avoid capture, allowing sustainable fishing without harming these defenders of the ocean.
Vocabulary:
• Overwhelm
To overcome completely; to be too much to handle.
• Stinging
Causing a sharp, painful sensation.
• Clogging
Blocking or obstructing
• Swarm
A large group of insects or animals moving together.
• Lifespan
The length of time a living thing is expected to live.
• Bloom
A sudden increase in the number of a particular organism.
• Barbed
Having sharp points or hooks.
• Roughly
Approximately.