Jellyfish Day is a chance to appreciate some of the strangest and most beautiful animals in the sea. These pulsing, see-through drifters are much older than the dinosaurs, and they have managed all that time without a brain, a heart or a single bone.
About jellyfish
Jellyfish bodies are about 95 percent water. Instead of a brain they have a simple network of nerves, and they catch food with tentacles armed with stinging cells. Most of the time they go where the currents take them, which is why large groups, known as blooms or smacks, can wash up on beaches.
Despite the name they are not fish at all. Some, such as the moon jelly, are harmless to swimmers, while the box jellyfish is among the most venomous animals in the world.
How to celebrate Jellyfish Day
- Visit an aquarium and watch a jellyfish tank for a while. It's surprisingly calming
- Watch a nature documentary on deep-sea life
- Learn what to do if you are ever stung
- Pick up litter at the beach, since plastic bags in the water can look a lot like jellyfish to sea turtles
