Jellyfish Lake in Palau draws tourists who want to swim with jellyfish

An bonzer spot called Jellyfish Lake draws visitors each twelvemonth from astir nan world who are looking to aquatics pinch jellyfish. Surrounded by mangrove trees, millions of nan world's rarest jellyfish tin beryllium recovered successful nan lake, which is located successful nan occidental Pacific land federation of Palau. 

While immoderate jellyfish, for illustration nan container jellyfish, tin termination a personification wrong minutes, nan inhabitants of Jellyfish Lake are benign. If felt, their sting would origin nary much than mild discomfort.

"I would usually beryllium scared, but nothing's going on, I mean, they don't sting me, you know?" said Eyren Yepez, who came each nan measurement from Nashville for nan experience. "I conscionable touch them!"

There are much than 50 marine lakes passim Palau, but Jellyfish Lake is nan only 1 group tin visit. Just 20,000 years ago, nan area utilized to beryllium a barren depression, but erstwhile oversea levels began to rise, jellyfish sewage trapped successful nan area and created nan phenomenon, according to marine interrogator Gerta Ucharm. 

The jellies get their power overmuch nan measurement plants do — from nan sun. Each morning, they migrate pinch it, moving eastbound successful nan greeting and nan westbound successful nan afternoon. 

"It's only successful this reservoir that they migrate, and why only successful this lake? I don't know," Ucharm said.  

In 2000, scientists estimated location were much than 30 cardinal jellies successful nan lake. But successful 2016 thing happened that caused nan jellyfish to dice — yet causing nan celebrated reservoir to beryllium still. 

Ucharm said astatine that time, location were nary jellyfish. Scientists aren't judge what caused nan decline, but judge drought and warmer temperatures whitethorn person played a part. 

The jellies person since rebounded, and nan reservoir now averages astir 5-7 cardinal jellyfish. 

"This is nan place, Jellyfish Lake," said Abner Sanchez, a tourer who precocious visited. "You can't come– it's for illustration going to Egypt and not seeing nan Pyramids."

While snorkeling is allowed, scuba diving is not. About 45 feet beneath nan surface, nan reservoir turns into a furniture of pinkish bacteria, and beneath that is simply a venomous furniture of dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas.