The southern Croatian coast is currently facing an invasion of the saucer jellyfish, known as the most unpleasant jellyfish in the Mediterranean. These delicate and fragile creatures, resembling ballerinas in the human realm, have become a cause for concern on several Croatian beaches, as reported by Danas.hr.
Dubrovnik’s Danče beach witnessed a distressing incident where the saucer jellyfish inflicted painful stings on eight individuals in a single day last week. Andrej Stipič from Dubrovnik shared his experience, stating, “At first, there were only a few here and there. But then their numbers started increasing. Eventually, I caught twenty-five of them in a bucket. I even used a glass to catch them out of the water.”
Sightings of these glowing jellyfish have also been reported on other beaches in the vicinity of Dubrovnik. Ramona Popovic from the Dubrovnik Red Cross mentioned their presence at Mandrači beach as well.
According to the website, stings from the saucer jellyfish are highly painful and can remain visible for several days. In rare cases, they may even leave scars. Marko Marinovic, the head of the emergency room at Dubrovnik hospital, advised victims to rub the affected area with sea sand and then rinse with vinegar or at the very least, sea water. It is crucial to avoid rinsing with fresh water. In case of more severe burns, he recommended using a plastic object, such as a credit card, to carefully remove the remaining stinging cells from the skin.
Toma Fabric from Zagreb shared his encounter with a jellyfish on the island of Vrnik near Korcula, saying, “I was swimming in the sea when a jellyfish stung me. It caused a burning sensation, but now it’s just itching.”
Although prevention measures are limited, the website suggests exercising caution. The glowing saucer jellyfish, with their distinct “cap” and long tentacles armed with stinging ends, are relatively easy to spot.
