THE sightings of large jellyfish on beaches in Rhyl and Pensarn yesterday afternoon (September 20) left two ladies shocked.
Susan Smith and Angela Wightman both spotted the creatures on Rhyl and Pensarn Beaches respectively, with Anglesey Sea Zoo and Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences saying that they both likely found “Barrel jellyfish”.
Susan, who has lived in Rhyl all her life, said she had never seen anything like it while walking her dog on Rhyl Beach yesterday.
The jellyfish was alone when she saw it, she added.
She said: “I’ve never seen one on the beach, and I’ve been walking it for 50 years; I walk my dog there most days.
“It was directly opposite Splash Point, where the toilets are. They’re great big things.
“It was at about 2pm; the tide was coming in, the dog was off the lead, and I thought: ‘Oh no, he likes to roll in things’.
“I thought: ‘What’s that?’. I went over, put him on the lead and thought: ‘My god, that’s horrible-looking’. You feel sorry for it, in a way.
“A little later on, somebody said they saw it washed out, swimming around, so it mustn’t have died.”
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Angela, who is from Manchester but is currently staying in Pensarn, saw “at least 30 of them” on Pensarn beach at a similar time.
She added: “I was just taking a walk, as I do most days. It was about 1.30pm.
“Never in my life have I seen jellyfish that big; I thought it was an octopus at first until I got closer.
“They were right along the beach; I’d say at least 30 of them. I'm still in shock now!”
Frankie Hobro, director at Anglesey Sea Zoo, highlighted some of the characteristics of a Barrel jellyfish (scientific name: “Rhizostoma plumo”).
Frankie said: “It is also one of our largest species as it grows up to 80cm in diameter, the size of a dustbin lid - hence it is appropriately named!
“It is one of the few species with a sting that is not harmful to humans, so despite its rather formidable appearance, it is safe to get up close to them, both in the water and on the shore.
“It keeps its chunky domed form when washed ashore and the thick, pinkish and relatively short tentacles are often still attached to the bell.”
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