Désormais célèbre pour sa faune principalement représentée par des méduses – apparues via un tunnel, aujourd’hui obstrué, qui le reliait à l’océan – qui ont pu proliférer en l’absence de prédateurs, découverte de cette impressionnante vidéo de Sarosh Jacob qui s’est filmé nageant dans le fameux « Lac aux Méduses » ou Ongeim’l Tketau en paluan, un lac d’eau saumâtre situé dans les îles Chelbacheb aux Palaos, dans l’océan Pacifique. Malgré l’absence de prédateurs et contrairement aux croyances, les méduses n’ont pas perdu leurs cellules urticantes mais sont cependant inoffensives et de nombreux baigneurs locaux et autres touristes n’hésitent alors pas à nager parmi les méduses. La vidéo intégrale dans la suite !

La vidéo intégrale en HD

A little information on Jellyfish Lake …

Jellyfish Lake is located on Eli Malk island in the Republic of Palau. Twelve thousand years ago these jellyfish became trapped in a natural basin on the island when the ocean receded. With no predators amongst them for thousands of years, they evolved into a new species that lost most of their stinging ability as they no longer had to protect themselves. They are pretty much harmless to humans although some people with very sensitive skin may get a minor sting from them. If you are allergic to jellyfish you should wear a wetsuit or protective clothing. These fascinating creatures survive by sharing a symbiotic relationship with algae that live inside of them. At night, the jellyfish go down to the depths of the lake where the algae feed on nutrients. During the day, the jellyfish come back to the surface and follow the sun across the lake in a massive migration. The algae convert the energy of the sun via photosynthesis into a sugar that feeds the jellyfish.  It is not possible to scuba dive in this lake because the nutrient rich layer at around 50 feet and below contains hydrogen sulphide which is highly toxic to humans. If a scuba diver was to swim in that layer, the toxins would enter the body through the skin and that exposure could be fatal. Snorkeling however, is perfectly safe and if you ever find yourself in Palau one day, you should make your way to this special place. The experience of swimming through millions of jellyfish is quite surreal and Palau is the only place in the world where you can do just that!

More informations & credits

Film / Edit : Sarosh Jacob
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II, Simga 15mm Fisheye Lens and Aquatica Housing
Music: Radiohead « Nude »
More about the Jellyfish Lake – via