GLOUCESTER, Mass. — A jellyfish that packs the “bite of a lion” is lurking in the water off a popular Massachusetts beach, officials warned the public.
An advisory issued by the City of Gloucester and Gloucester Beaches announced the presence of Lion’s Mane jellyfish in the outer harbor at Niles Beach.
“These jellyfish can deliver painful stings, even after they’ve washed ashore,” the advisory stated. “Please use caution and avoid any jellyfish you may see.”
While Gloucester officials coordinate with the NOAA for guidance, beachgoers will be kept out of the water where jellyfish are present. A marine hazard flag will also be posted if “significant numbers” are also spotted at Good Harbor Beach.
There’s also a chance water access will be restricted or closed entirely, depending on jellyfish activity at Niles, Good Harbor, or even Half Moon Beach, officials noted.
“The long flowing tentacles that surround the bell have all the beauty and bite of a lion,” The Wildlife Trusts website warns. “Lion’s mane jellyfish give a very nasty sting, so consult a doctor if swelling or weals are severe.”
Anyone who is stung should immediately scrape the area with a clean stick or remove the tentacle with tweezers, then rinse with warm to hot water to reduce swelling.
Lion’s Mane jellyfish are translucent brown to reddish in color and have a thick mane of hundreds of long, hair-like tentacles that can be more than nine feet in length.
The jellyfish sighting comes after multiple great white sharks were spotted off the coast of Gloucester.
Earlier this summer, officials in Portland, Maine, warned of a five-foot-wide Lion’s Mane jellyfish that had washed up on Willard Beach.
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