Nature has not finished surprising us. This time, head to Oceania and the Federated States of Micronesia to discover one of the most fascinating lakes in the world. Do jellyfish scare you? Well, know that on the other side of the world, on one of the Palau islands, some adventurers dive into waters crowded with these animals.
Summary
- Images that do not make you want to venture there
- harmless jellyfish
- A dangerous lake
Images that do not make you want to venture there
On these images, we can discover a lake that is nothing ordinary. On an island that can be described as paradise, we discover the life of a unique animal species. Millions of jellyfish have been breeding in these waters for 12 million years and adapt their survival in these 6 hectares .
harmless jellyfish
On the island of Eil Malk in Palau, the jellyfish lake, locally named Ongeim’l Tketau , has not finished attracting tourists in search of novelty and thrills. Imagine diving into this large expanse of water infested with the least reassuring animals… Yet these little jellyfish are harmless . This is also why some people can afford to swim there without a wetsuit or other protection.
This lake is one of the 70 marine lakes of the Palau Islands. Some of them (including Jellyfish Lake) were formed thousands of years ago when depressions in the limestone filled with water from melting ice. They then found themselves isolated. Very few animal species have managed to survive in this unusual environment. Jellyfish have adapted very well to this environment , which explains why they still inhabit a lake today. But this habitat has transformed their behavior and their genetics . Over the centuries, these jellyfish have mutated and lost their stinging power, because they had no predators. This is why these jellyfish are also very sensitive. During your experience in this lake, do not wear flippers so as not to accidentally kill any.
A dangerous lake
Even if you do not risk anything when swimming alongside these small animals, this does not mean that the lake is not dangerous. It is also formally inadvisable to dive deeper into these waters. Indeed, scuba diving is prohibited to protect the jellyfish, but also because a layer of hydrogen is present in the lake from 12 to 14 meters deep . This chemical element is toxic to humans, so do not take any risks.
