During a visit to Little Manly Beach in Auckland, New Zealand, Adam Dickinson and his family encountered several strange objects resembling “flying saucers” from outer space. According to Adam, they looked unlike anything he had seen before. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that they were marine creatures.
The “flying saucer” creatures were quite large, measuring about 1 meter in diameter, with large purple bubbles in the center and numerous pink tentacles surrounding their bodies. Beneath the tentacles were many long, hair-like strands extending several meters.
Adam’s children were very curious about these creatures, which appeared to them as giant, attractive pink jelly-like blobs. Adam was cautious, advising his children to observe carefully to avoid danger. However, his eldest son insisted on taking pictures with them.
Suddenly, Adam noticed the entire body of one of the creatures contracting, as if it was beginning to move towards his child. Alarmed, Adam quickly picked up his two children and ran far away from the area. Although he was unsure of what the creature was, he feared it could harm his children.
After returning home, Adam shared images of the strange creature with his friends. One friend, a marine biologist, informed him that this was a type of jellyfish known as the lion’s mane jellyfish. They are one of the oldest jellyfish species on Earth and also the largest among known jellyfish species. Some can even grow larger than an adult human.
The body of the lion’s mane jellyfish is a soft, round mass with a reddish-brown color. They defend themselves by using their long tentacles to whip at predators. These tentacles can leave painful welts on human skin, resembling rashes, and each sting can feel like being pricked by a needle. The sting of the lion’s mane jellyfish can cause prolonged pain and, in severe cases, can be fatal.
It turns out that what they encountered was the giant lion’s mane jellyfish. (Photo: Kknews)
They can consume everything from small fish to the white jellyfish Aurelia aurita. Their voracious appetite allows them to grow to such large sizes.
Lion’s mane jellyfish typically inhabit cold waters, including the northern Arctic, the North Atlantic, and the northern Pacific, and they are sometimes found in waters near Australia and New Zealand.
After receiving this information from his friend, Adam felt fortunate that he and his family did not accidentally come into contact with their tentacles. He later shared this story on social media to raise awareness among others.
