The most common sighting was the barrel jellyfish (26.7% of total sightings), followed by the lion\u2019s mane\u00a0jellyfish (17.7%). 11% of the jellyfish were seen in large blooms of over 100 individuals \u2013 an increase of 57% from last year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
The annual Wildlife Sightings report focusses on jellyfish and marine turtles<\/a> (or sea turtles), which predate on jellyfish. Both marine animals <\/a>are indicators of changes in water temperatures. <\/p> Research has suggested that an increase in some jellyfish numbers around the UK could be related to climate change, though there currently isn’t enough evidence to prove this.<\/p> Dr Peter Richardson, Head of Ocean Recovery\u00a0at the MCS, said: \u201cJellyfish populations are highly variable year on year, and depend on several environmental factors that are different each year, such as sea temperatures and storms. Numbers of sightings we receive can also depend on the awareness of our sightings programme and the \u2018wow factor\u2019 of jellyfish people encounter. \u00a0<\/p> \u201cThis year seems to have been a particularly good year for barrel jellyfish \u2013 one of our chunkiest jellyfish species that can occur in mind-boggling numbers when conditions are favourable. It\u2019s only by observing trends over many years that we can start to suggest reasons for change.\u201d \u00a0<\/p> Justine Millard, Head of Volunteering and Citizen Science at the MCS, added, \u201cThe data on jellyfish and turtles that volunteers submit\u00a0plays a vital role in understanding the changes occurring in our marine ecosystems, and help us to protect our seas. We urge anyone who has spotted a jellyfish or turtle to report it to us to continue to build a picture of our seas and the incredible life within them. A huge thanks to all the volunteers who have submitted data to us this past year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p> The most frequently reported\u00a0species during the reporting period was the barrel jellyfish, which accounted for almost 27% of total sightings (467), 21% up from the previous year\u2019s results.\u00a0Other species included the moon jellyfish, compass jellyfish and blue jellyfish.<\/p> The MCS also records reports of marine turtles, which feed on jellyfish.\u00a0Six of the world\u2019s seven marine turtle species have been spotted in UK and Irish seas. There were 12 reports of marine turtle sightings this year, including four\u00a0leatherbacks<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>![\"Mauve](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/11\/Mauve-stinger-scaled.jpg\")