Lion's mane jellyfish at Kayak Point State Park in Stanwood |
One Stanwood man and his young son stumbled on an unusual sight: A large lion's mane jellyfish had washed up on the beach.
"My son is about four-and-a-half feet tall, so I'm guessing that this [jellyfish] was somewhere just over four feet," Sherman Pike said.
This species of jellyfish is known for being the largest of its species in the world and can reach up to 120 feet in length.
The jellyfish gets its name from the long, flowing tentacles that look like a lion's mane and the larger the species, the more of a distinct red color it displays rather than the lighter, orange hue of smaller species.
Typically, the lion's mane jellyfish stays in the cold, Arctic waters, and the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Similar species can also be found in waters around Australia and New Zealand.
It's rare to find the lion's mane south of 42 degree latitude; Stanwood, Wash., is at 48 degrees latitude.
If you're stung by a lion's mane jellyfish, it won't be pleasant but the good news is that if you're healthy, the stings are usually not fatal.
The lion's mane usually floats on the surface of the water and provides food and protection to ocean species such as shrimp. They tend to be found in sheltered bays and their lifespan is one year.
