Whale photographed ‘playing’ with giant, toxic jellyfish

A Massachusetts whale-watching charter on Wednesday enjoyed a close encounter with a humpback whale as it seemingly enjoyed its own encounter with an enormous, toxic sea jelly.

The 7 Seas Whale Watch crew at first thought the female whale, known locally as Abyss because of the dark coloration of her fluke, was “kelping,” a behavior that entails rolling in kelp as sort of a spa treatment.

“[But] upon closer inspection we realized that it wasn’t seaweed at all!” the company stated on Facebook. “Abyss was actually playing with a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish! This is something that none of us had ever seen before.”

Lion’s mane sea jellies live in cold water and can boast a bell measuring nearly 8 feet in diameter, and tentacles that span 100-plus feet.

The largest recorded specimen was measured off Massachusetts by Alexander Agassiz in 1865. It’s bell diameter was 7 feet and its tentacles measured 120 feet.

The tentacles, used to stun and capture plankton, small fish and smaller jellies, are toxic to humans. But most sting victims experience only temporary pain and redness.

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Abyss, the daughter of a whale nicknamed Scylla, did not seem fazed by contact with the sea jelly’s tentacles.

Jay Frontierro, a captain and marine biologist with 7 Seas Whale Watch, told For The Win Outdoors that the whale seemed to be curious and “having fun” with the sea jelly.

“Whales are often curious about things floating at the water’s surface,” he said. “Usually seaweed, but I have seen them investigate balloons, buoys, and even an empty 5-gallon bucket.”

Frontierro added: “My guess is that Abyss thought that the texture was interesting. Humpback whales have sensory hairs on their heads that act as ‘mechanoreceptors’ – like a cat’s whiskers. The slimy texture of a large jellyfish is something the whales probably don’t often experience. “

After she had finished playing with the invertebrate, Abyss swam over for a closer look at the whale watchers.

“It was fascinating watching this whale curiously lift the jellyfish on its head and flippers, but the curiosity didn’t end there,” the company stated. “Eventually Abyss turned the tables on us and did some people watching by swimming circles around and under the boat.”

Video of that encounter is posted above.

–Images of the humpback whale playing with the lion’s mane sea jelly are courtesy of 7 Seas Whale Watch