The Discovery Channel salutes the new owners of Planet Earth, now that we humans have eliminated the fish that were keeping them in check. Whales, dolphins, even giant squid are powerful to prevent the march of the giant jellyfish:
These huge creatures can burst through fishing nets, as well as destroy local fisheries with their taste for fish eggs and larvae.
Anthony Richardson of CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research and colleagues reported their findings in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution to coincide with World Oceans Day.
They say climate change could also cause jellyfish populations to grow. The team believes that for the first time, water conditions could lead to what they call a “jellyfish stable state,” in which jellyfish rule the oceans.
You’ll have to go to the site to really see what they’re talking about. Just don’t click that link if the thought of sumo-wrestler-sized invertebrates capable of consuming humans slowly after paralyzing them with thousands of stinging tentacles makes you feel uneasy.