D.Y.K.

India’s jellyfish lake

Jellyfish at the bottom of the lake in Ambarda, Gujarat

India has a ‘jellyfish lake’ located in the town of Armabada in Gujarat. The bottom portion of the lake, which is spread over 5-6 hectares, is covered in ‘upside down jellyfish’ (members of the family Cassiopeidae). They are so named because they lie in this position on the sea bed to receive maximum sunlight as they harbour photosynthetic algae called Zooxanthellae which have a symbiotic relationship with the jellyfish. The jellyfish population is continuous throughout the year and not seasonal unlike in other spots.