Hundreds of poisonous jellyfishes were found dead at sea beach here creating a serious alarm for tourists as well fishermen.
The beautiful jellyfish, also known as Blue Button Jellyfish or Porpita, is the food of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. The death of the large number of jellyfishes is suspected to be the reason behind the declining Olive Ridley sea turtle population.
The Blue Button Jellyfish is chiefly found in the Mediterranean Sea where the climate is normally hot. However, the arrival of such jellyfish in large numbers in Odisha’s coastal region suggests an ecological imbalance.
As the climate in Odisha is quite hot, the jellyfishes are heading towards its coast, sources said. The jellyfish in large numbers might have died due to water pollution, said Assistant Fisheries Resources Officer (Marine) of Puri district Prakash Tripathy.