New Jellyfish Species Spotted in WA

0:00Dozens of highly venomous box jellyfish have swarmed the Pilbara coast in Western Australia, spotted right off the Danpear port. This bunch looks like a rare local variety, separate from the deadly ones up in the Northern Territory and Queensland. Poor worker Ben Wockington counted nearly 100 of these ghostly drifters by the Jedi, a first for that harbor. Scientists are buzzing because this could be a species new to science. Marine biologist Lisa Ann Gershwin has been hunting for them and says they're probably not as lethal as their northern cousins, which have killed. Around 80 people over the years. Still, she warns not to get too cozy with them. Their tentacles pack a serious sting. Wockington called it far from ideal, since he never seen them there before. Gershwin's reaction? Pure excitement. Meanwhile, CSIRA researcher, John Keesing notes, swarms like this are rare south of the Kimberley. Though they've popped up as far as X-Mouth. Now the big push is to collect samples, run DNA tests, and officially name this jelly.

1:02But with fewer marine experts left in Australia, it's a tough grind. They say classifying it matters for public safety and grasping the full ocean biodiversity. If this group sticks around Danpear, it'll give researchers prime chances to study them up close, closing that knowledge gap before more surprises. Wash ashore. Stay informed with sending news today, AI-powered updates.