Hundreds of tiny jellyfish found living in a park pond

Shawnee Park visitors who head to the pond may be in for quite an unusual sight.
Shawnee Park visitors who head to the pond may be in for quite an unusual sight.(WAVE News)
Published: Aug. 24, 2022 at 11:35 AM EDT
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Hundreds of tiny jellyfish are living in the pond at a park in Kentucky, officials said.

According to authorities, the peach blossom jellyfish are about the size of a contact lens and can be seen pulsing up and down inside of the pondwater, WAVE reported.

Liz Winlock, project manager with Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy, said the jellyfish could have come into the area by dropping in from plant materials or from other animals.

She said the peach blossom jellyfish have been seen in and around Louisville, Kentucky, since the late 1970s but hadn’t been seen inside the parks until now.

“It’s your chance to see something unique, and helps people interact with the park,” Winlock said.

While the jellyfish are a non-native species to the area, Winlock said their presence is not being seen on other plants and animals within the area.

The jellyfish can sting, but because of their size, their stinging cells would not be able to penetrate a person’s skin.

Winlock said the jellyfish will likely remain inside the pond until it gets colder, or if native animals like birds or turtles take them away or eat them.