An invasive marine species has made its way to a small lake in Oklahoma. Though its impact on the ecosystem remains unknown, its presence has locals scratching their heads.
What's happening?
As The Oklahoman reported, two people headed to a small lake just outside Sulphur to fish. While there, they spotted a peach blossom jellyfish. They captured a short clip of their sighting and posted it to the r/oklahoma subreddit. (Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
Though peach blossom jellyfish are considered rare in Oklahoma, they do appear to be spreading. "I'd heard they were in some of our lakes, and this is a glorified pond. I'm guessing some of them caught a ride from a fishery or something," the original poster wrote.
"I picked one up since I wasn't sure what it was," Kari Nix, one of the people who made the discovery, told The Oklahoman. "Then I put it back in the water, and a fish sucked him up before I could get a picture."
Why is the sighting of a peach blossom jellyfish in Oklahoma important?
The peach blossom jellyfish has not been noted to harm humans and does not pose a threat when interacted with. However, the species may have a negative impact on freshwater ecosystems by outcompeting native species for food such as zooplankton, affecting fish populations. This uncertainty can make management and mitigation measures challenging.
Generally, invasive species inflict harm by displacing native species, disrupting food webs, and altering habitats. This can play a major role in reducing biodiversity in bodies of water. For communities that rely on tourism, this can lead to significant economic consequences caused by diminished recreational fishing.
Native species are critical for maintaining natural resources, limiting the spread of diseases, and securing our food supply. Keeping invasive species in check helps protect the native species that we rely on.
According to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey, researchers are working to gather more data on the life cycle, spread, and ecological interactions of the peach blossom jellyfish to understand its broader, long-term impacts. And while it has primarily stuck to the Great Lakes region, the species has occasionally been observed in Oklahoma for decades.
What's being done about invasive marine species?
The National Park Service reports that peach blossom jellyfish are native to the Yangtze River in China. They likely reached the United States via imported aquatic ornamental plants. These freshwater jellyfish can also find their way into bodies of water through accidental human transport. Routine cleaning and boat inspection can help prevent them from spreading further.
A number of Redditors discussed just how rare the discovery was.
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For sure 💯 "I just learned we have freshwater jellyfish a few months ago, and I've seen three different people post about them on various socials since then," one user shared. "Wild that you can not know about something for so long and people are just out there seeing it regularly."
"Neat! I grew up down there, but I've never seen one," another wrote.
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