Swimming face-first with a throng of jellyfish may sound unpleasant, but there’s a rare lake in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, where people do just that.
“Swimming there is one of the most surreal experiences in Raja Ampat,” says Yeray Moreno, head of experience and conservation at Rascal Voyages who has taken guests to the stingless jellyfish lake many times.
“You're in this hidden saltwater lake, completely enclosed by limestone cliffs, and all of a sudden you're surrounded by thousands of jellyfish.”
On a calm day, you might hear the odd chirp of a bird flying overhead but all is silent when you dip your head under the water.
The lake has been cut off from the sea for thousands of years, only connected by tiny underwater channels.
The jellies found in this lake are incredibly special. “We call them the golden jellyfish, and they're from the species Mastigias papua,” says Moreno. These animals aren’t unique to this lake but, when found in the open ocean, they can sting. But here, after thousands of years of isolation, they’ve become totally harmless.
“They kept evolving until they lost their ability to sting, because there's no predators and there's no need for them to defend themselves from anything,” he explains.
This is the same species of jellyfish found in the better known Jellyfish Lake in Palau, although they evolved independently and may have become subspecies.
- NASA officials sent over 2,000 baby jellyfish into space. Tens of thousands more came back to Earth
- Colossal squid filmed alive in deep ocean for the first time ever
As well as having no need to avoid predators, they also don’t need to catch much prey. Like corals, they have a symbiotic relationship with a type of algae called zooxanthella, which provides the jelly with food via photosynthesis. “So they get most of their energy from the sun,” he adds.
Their idyllic life pretty much involves just basking lazily in the warm waters of the lake. “It's a real heaven for a jellyfish: calm, no waves, no currents, plenty of sun, in the middle of the jungle, away from predators,” says Moreno.
That’s not to say nothing threatens these jellies: humans can harm them if we’re not careful.
Guests who visit Raja Ampat’s Jellyfish Lake can go snorkelling, surrounded by jellies but without any chance of getting stung. But there are certain rules that must be followed to protect these delicate creatures.
“When we do get in to do the swim with them, it’s super important that we don't wear our fins,” explains Moreno. “We need to be very careful swimming around the lagoon as they are very fragile. If you touch them, if you kick them, you can break some of their tentacles.”
Melissa visited Raja Ampat courtesy of Rascal Voyages.
More wildlife stories from around the world
- Strange creature found inside jellyfish. Scientists say it's the "first time this behaviour is documented"
- “An entire colony of breeding penguins disappeared.” Bird flu is out of control – now it’s reached the Antarctic
- This tentacled giant can grow as long as a cricket bat. Tens of thousands are about to gather in South Australia
- This US shoreline hosts one of Earth's largest shark gatherings. Aerial images just revealed something worrying
