Go to jell and back at new attraction
A 900 per cent increase in sea jelly stings on the Gold Coast during the past year will be investigated at what will become the city’s newest tourist attraction.
More than 8000 stings were reported across the city’s famous beaches last year, among 38,000 in Queensland.
Experts say the increase was the result of warming ocean temperatures in the southeast.
The increase in stings, how to prevent them and whether the sea jelly population is growing or shirking will be studied at Sea World’s new tourist attraction, set to open in April.
Sea Jellies Illuminated will feature a range of the native creatures as well as a working research laboratory which will be viewable to park patrons.
The exhibit is a joint partnership between the theme park and Griffith University and will also incorporate education elements with Surf Life Saving Queensland.
Surf lifesaving’s chief operation officer George Hill said there were “a lot of myths and misconceptions” surrounding sea jellies.
“An opportunity to educate the public on sting prevention, the right treatment and more importantly identifying dangerous species like Irukandji, is vital,” he said.
The exhibit will house a variety of Australian species such as the blue blubber, the moon jelly, upside down jellies and Irukandji, of which polyps are currently being cultured in Griffith School of Environment labs.
The attraction will be built in the former Creatures of the Deep exhibition building, with the lab to take out the top level.
Lead researcher, associate professor Kylie Pitt, said the new lab would not just be limited to jellyfish research currently undertaken by her team.
“This is a dream come true and we will be able to do things which we have never dreamt of doing before,” she said.
“A lot of our research at the moment is focusing on whether human stressors in the ocean can impact on species of jellyfish, including climate change, nutrient run-off and pesticides and how this might influence, for better or worse, jellyfish populations.
“There is a lot of concern about whether Irukandji is moving south but the reality is we have no idea.
“A lot of the research we will do is whether this is a possibly and how to manage it.”
THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER IRUKANDJI IS MOVING SOUTH BUT THE REALITY IS WE HAVE NO IDEA.