NC Aquarium Fort Fisher
Invasive Jellyfish
Kure Beach, NC – Visitors to the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher this summer will find a new exhibit in the Exotic Aquatics Gallery. Aquarium staff has added white-spotted jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata) to its collection. The Exotic Aquatics Gallery traditionally features non-native marine species. Guests can learn more about the life cycle of a jellyfish while viewing these beautiful animals.
The white-spotted jellyfish species looks almost exactly as its name suggests; they appear blue-gray in color, and white spots adorn the top of their prominent bell. Although native to Australia, this particular species of jellyfish has become invasive in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the Atlantic Ocean near the Cape Fear coast. While they usually grow to between 17 and 19 inches in diameter, the largest white-spotted jellyfish on record, found on Sunset Beach, N.C., in 2007, measured 28 inches.
This exhibit furthers the Aquarium’s objective to educate the public on the importance of well-balanced ecosystems. Invasive species can easily disrupt that balance by cutting off resources to other species, changing the chemical makeup of the water, and ultimately causing a shift in the entire food web. This affects every aspect of the way humans enjoy the ocean, from seafood cultivation to a simple day at the beach.
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, on US 421.
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day).
Admission: $8 adults ages 13-61; $7 seniors 62+; $6 ages 3-12.
Free admission for: children under 2; registered groups of N.C. school children, and NC Aquarium Society members.
General information: www.ncaquariums.com
