Just Jellyfish

Yesterday, I visited the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition which displays a selection of the most outstanding wildlife photography of the year. 

Many of the photos are relevant to the wider theme of global environmental change especially those which show the impacts of human activity on wildlife however, a photo which particularly struck a chord with me was this one taken by Thomas Peschak: 

'Just Jellyfish' (Source: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/gallery/2015/images/under-water/5020/just-jellyfish.html)

The photo was taken in the Western Cape of South Africa and highlights the problem of the increasing jellyfish population which is occurring as a result of climate change and overfishing. Warmer waters increase the reproductive potential of these sea creatures while overfishing reduces the number of fish available to prey on their young. Worryingly, jellyfish eat the eggs and larvae of other fish and therefore other predators such as seals face serious repercussions as a result of the growing jellyfish population.

More information on this issue can be found in this article by the guardian.