Moon Jellyfish By Haystack Rock Cover Beach In Mass Stranding

PORTLAND, OR – People are used to seeing all sorts of things washing up at Cannon Beach – from a dead whale that later exploded to a fishing boat from Japan that was carried there by the currents after the tsunami. Add hundreds of moon jellyfish to the list.

The Haystack Rock Awareness Program posted pictures of a mass stranding that occurred earlier this week.

There were so many jellyfish that the program called the stranding "massive."

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Officials say that while the moon jellyfish generally do not sting, they can – even after they die.

Also, they add that moon jellies look like other jellyfish that do sting.

"That’s why we recommend not handling jellies unless you’re 1000% sure what it is" Haystack Rock Awareness writes on their Facebook page.

Marine biologists are still trying to figure out whether the stranding was the result of ocean currents or something else.

Photos via Haystack Rock Awareness Program.