Jellyfish Inc

“Meduzot Ba’am” (Jellyfish Inc.) is a project in which scientists and the public work together to improve our understanding of jellyfish along the coast of Israel. This project began as a purely scientific endeavor, in 2007, but due to the patchy and often unexpected appearance of jellyfish at sea, we recognized the need to enlist the public in our efforts. We established a citizen-science website www.meduzot.co.il to enable the public to report their observations of jellyfish in the eastern Mediterranean, and also to inform people about the gelatinous plankton in our coastal waters. This project encompasses citizens of all ages and interests, including schoolchildren, surfers, divers, kayakers, community groups, environmentally-concerned citizens, the navy, etc. The public is encouraged not only to report their observations, but also to help with the analysis and interpretation of data. This project also aims to provide real-time forecasting regarding jellyfish swarms in the region, quantifying the jellyfish, and providing practical advice and information regarding jellyfish stings and treatment. Support for this project is provided by the Israeli Society of Ecology and Environmental Science that helps maintain the website and has developed an app for reporting jellyfish by means of cell phones. Many of our current and past students are involved in this project.

Jellyfish Inc. project
Jellyfish Inc. project. Photo by D. Angel
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