Astonished Divers Swim With Massive Jellyfish Off Coast Of England [Video]

By Mandy Froelich / Truth Theory

In July 2019, BBC wildlife host and biologist Lizzy Daly and underwater cinematographer Dan Abbott took off on a 7-day expedition to raise awareness bout marine wildlife. During one of their underwater explorations, they discovered a massive jellyfish the size of a human.

There have been rumours of box jellyfish growing as big as – or even bigger – than humans for centuries. For the most part, suspicions have been confirmed through dead bodies washing up on beaches. But now, footage exists of a healthy and alive jellyfish off the coast of England.

The footage was captured by Abbott as Daly swam with the tentacled titan for approximately one hour. Daly told CBS News. “It’s known to get this large, but I haven’t seen one this big. Dan said he hasn’t seen one this big either.”

As a lover of marine wildlife, Daly was more intrigued by than fearful of the jellyfish. As the video below shows, the creature didn’t seem too bothered by the gawking human and her entourage. At least, it didn’t feel the need to flash its stinger. This jellyfish has eight arms, each with stinging tentacles.

“It really humbles you to be alongside an animal that size,” Daly told Motherboard. “It’s an experience we’ll never forget.”

Despite the jellyfish’s daunting dimensions, the barrel jellyfish isn’t too threatening. “They’re not a threat to humans,” Daly said. “They have a mild sting, but wouldn’t cause damage to humans.”

Watch the video below:

 

Did you know? Only 5% of Earth’s oceans have been explored. What else may live in deep, cold waters?

Image Credit: Dan Abbott