Giant Jelly Fish Could Mean More Turtles

30 June 2014, 12:13 | Updated: 30 June 2014, 12:20

Giant Barrel Jellyfish, weighing up to 20kg have been spotted around the Cornish coast.

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust says it's because we've had such a mild year and the seas are warm, attracting the Jellyfish.

This year has been an extremely good year for this species that has been described as the gentle giant of the jellyfish world.

Many different types of jellyfish species have started turning up around our coasts, potentially bringing with them the worlds largest marine turtle.

Some of the different species that have already been sighted include blue jellies, compass jellies and moon jellies.

Matt Slater from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust caught one of the giant Barrell jellyfish on camera, when swimming with his dog Mango in Percuil Estuary near St Mawes.

Two sightings of leatherback turtles have already come into Cornwall Wildlife Trust this summer, one off Porthcurno and one in Falmouth Bay. 

The leatherback turtle is a prehistoric looking creature, the largest marine turtle species, growing to up to eight foot long. It ventures north into Cornish waters in the summer months to feed on Jellyfish.

The Trust say they want anyone who sees jellyfish or Turtles to contact them, so they can log how many sightings of different species there have been this year.