Thousands of jellyfish swarm near Israel, mesmerizing images reveal

Jellyfish are swarming in massive numbers in the Mediterranean Sea, close to the port city of Haifa in northern Israel. The sea was "bedazzled with thousands of white dots," according to The Jerusalem Post, which also reported that the swarm extended below the surface to depths of several hundred meters.  

Officials with Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority (NPA) captured footage of the swarming nomad jellyfish (Rhopilema nomadica) in Haifa Bay on July 20 using aerial drones, and they shared the footage on the agency's website. The NPA also advised people against swimming in the area, due to the risk of painful jellyfish stings.

This unusually high concentration of jellyfish individuals, also known as a bloom, likely stems from human activities that may include pollution and climate change , NPA representatives said in a statement (translated from Hebrew).  

The explosion in jellyfish numbers this summer could have catastrophic consequences for the marine ecosystem near coastal Haifa, and could even affect industry and tourism, Ruthy Yahel, an NPA marine ecologist, said in the statement.

"We see great damage from it in many areas, such as ecological comPetition with the fish for food, economic damage, clogging of desalination plant pumps, cooling of power plants, damage to fishermen, and the public keeping their feet off the beaches because of the burning [from jellyfish stings]," Yahel said. (Remember: Despite the urban legend, don't treat jellyfish stings with pee, which can cause the jellyfish's stinging cells to release more venom. Instead, remove the tentacles with a tool — not your bare fingers — and splash something acidic, such as vinegar, on the wound, Live Science previously reported.)

Related: Scientists inserted disco 'strobe lights' into jellyfish to see how they function without brains

Jellyfish are a common sight off the coast of Israel during the summer, and large blooms were reported in 2015 and 2017, The Jerusalem Post reported. The University of Haifa maintains a website that tracks jellyfish swarms using reports from open water swimmers, divers, boaters, fishers, surfers, paddlers and kayakers. Its interactive map helps both fishing boats and beachgoers avoid areas of the ocean and beaches where jellyfish swarms have been spotted.