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Giant 20kg jellyfish filmed off the coast of Cornwall Giant 20kg jellyfish filmed off the coast of Cornwall
(34 minutes later)
Matt Slater, a marine awareness officer at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, has captured the amazing moment he came face-to-face with a huge barrel jellyfish along Cornwall's south coast.Matt Slater, a marine awareness officer at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, has captured the amazing moment he came face-to-face with a huge barrel jellyfish along Cornwall's south coast.
The prensence of such a large jellyfish in the waters of Cornwall may come as a surprise to most, but not to marine expert Slater, who told the BBC earlier this year that a plethora of jellyfish with domes "the size of dustbin lids" had been spotted along Cornwall's coast. The presence of such a large jellyfish in the waters of Cornwall may come as a surprise to most but not to marine expert Slater, who told the BBC earlier this year that a plethora of jellyfish with domes "the size of dustbin lids" had been spotted along Cornwall's coast.
Barrel jellyfish, which are usually 90cm-wide with tentacles that can stretch to 6 feet, are usually spotted further out to sea but the mild winter is presumed to have led to more plankton being available to eat closer to shore. Barrel jellyfish, which are usually 90cm-wide with tentacles that can stretch to 6 feet, are normally spotted further out to sea but the mild winter is presumed to have led to more plankton being available to eat closer to shore.
While the large creature in the video is evidently menacing, experts state that the barrel jellyfish's stings cause no harm to humans but that it is best not to handle them either. While the large creature in the video is evidently menacing, experts state the barrel jellyfish's stings cause no harm to humans but that it is best not to handle them either.
Slater told ITV: "These creatures are incredibly beautiful when you get a close look at them.Slater told ITV: "These creatures are incredibly beautiful when you get a close look at them.
"The tentacles really look like soft coral, and round the edge of the jellyfish’s umbrella like bell there is a deep blue line punctuated every twenty centimetres or so with a tiny dot, a sensory statocyst.""The tentacles really look like soft coral, and round the edge of the jellyfish’s umbrella like bell there is a deep blue line punctuated every twenty centimetres or so with a tiny dot, a sensory statocyst."
Slater added that the influx in jellyfish in Cornwall represented the largest number of jellyfish in the region's waters since 2002.Slater added that the influx in jellyfish in Cornwall represented the largest number of jellyfish in the region's waters since 2002.
On Cornwall's northern coast, there has been a large number of sightings of blue jellyfish, which give a mild sting.On Cornwall's northern coast, there has been a large number of sightings of blue jellyfish, which give a mild sting.
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has urged people to get in touch and record sightings of jellyfish.The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has urged people to get in touch and record sightings of jellyfish.