The experts from the Nature Conservation Agency confirm that invasive freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii have been observed for the first time in the pond of Drabešu Parish in Cēsis County. About the size of a two-euro coin, the white transparent jellyfish are not dangerous for human health and life. It is likely that they will also spread to other water bodies, so we invite you to report other sightings of the species by writing to invazivs@daba.gov.lv.
Unconscious human behavior and climate change are the main reasons why this species has been spreading further and further from its place of origin - China and Japan - since the last century, and is now found on all continents except Antarctica. They most likely arrived in Latvia with the help of birds, sticking to their legs, or with the seedlings of exotic aquatic plants, because they can survive without water at a certain stage of development. Freshwater jellyfish feed on phytoplankton and can potentially be food competitors for juvenile fish.
The LIFE REEF project implemented by the Nature Conservation Agency, which has so far identified jellyfish in the marine ecosystem, also studied the jellyfish of Drabešu Parish. Project manager Ilze Sabule reveals that "the exact route of these jellyfish to Latvia is unknown. Also, the impact of the species on Latvian ecosystems has not yet been studied, therefore the jellyfish do not need to be moved and specially distributed. We invite you to report your observations, as such information will help to understand the speed of the species' spread and types".
Freshwater jellyfish have already been observed in Poland, Sweden, Finland and Russia, and in 2002 they were found in Lithuania near the Nemunas River. The origin of Lithuanian jellyfish is also still unclear.