Rare carnivorous jellyfish spotted as climate experts warn of warming waters
A fisherman spotted 'crystal jellyfish' off Jersey's coast - a rare sighting in Channel Islands' waters
A fisherman has spotted a large swarm of rare jellyfish in the waters between Jersey and Guernsey.
The Aequorea victoria - otherwise called "crystal jellyfish" because of its clear translucent colour - is known for eating other aquatic invertebrates bigger than itself.
The bioluminescent species can glow green or blue due to the proteins it produces and has a typical life expectancy of a few months in the wild.
Their genetic makeup also sees them studied in medical research but the creatures are uncommon in British waters.
It is thought that sightings are more likely due to climate change as warming waters bring previously rare species to local shores.
Crystal jellyfish made up just 3% of total sightings between 2021 and 2022 in the UK, triple the number recorded in the previous Marine Conservation Society survey.
They can sting humans but experts describe the effect as mild when compared to other jellyfish.
Want to find out more about the stories making the headlines? Don't miss Channelcast - the Channel Islands current affairs podcast brought to you by ITV News: