The jellyfish population is again thriving along the coast, posing a serious threat to other species as well as tourists. The Veli estuary area on Sunday and Monday reported mass mortalities of jellyfish, fouling the entire area.

According to experts, the change in sea temperature could be one of the reasons for the species being spotted in the area. The real cause for the proliferation of jellyfish is difficult to ascertain because of the complex effect of climate change at the ecosystem-level, they said.

The large numbers of jellyfish spotted in the area are also giving the fishermen a difficult time as their nets get clogged with the inedible creatures.

Traditional fishermen say that dead jellyfish create itching if one goes near and touches them. “Many of the tourists are seen touching the jellyfish, despite warnings. There are also instances of tourists taking them in hand. This can cause certain skin diseases as well as other diseases,” said Peter Pereira, a local fisherman. He also said that the species was first spotted in the Veli area by Sunday afternoon.

Large numbers of dead jellyfish are often washed ashore, fouling the entire area. Earlier, they were also found in the Kovalam and Shangumugham areas.

Jellyfish are considered a threat to tourism season. When jellyfish die, they break down in a high-level carbon form which cannot be digested by bacteria.

When contacted, the officials at Veli Tourism Centre said that some jellyfish were indeed spotted in the area the other day.

“We will remove the creatures from the area during the regular cleaning programme. The species will be buried as it is highly dangerous for both animals and humans,” said deputy director (KTDC) Vijayakumaran K.