World Jellyfish Day is a holiday observed annually on the 3rd of November to celebrate certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa. Although these aquatic animals are beautiful, they are also misunderstood by most people.

That’s why this holiday was created, so all of us could learn a little bit more about them and eventually come to appreciate them. These animals are 98% water and don’t have a brain, blood, heart, bones, or gills.

They absorb oxygen through their skin and move through the water by contracting and relaxing muscles around their body, which is called a bell. They are fascinating creatures that all of us should know more about, and this day is the perfect opportunity to start learning about them.

The History of World Jellyfish Day

At this time, we’re not really sure who invented World Jellyfish Day. We do know that this holiday was created sometime around 2013-2014, but we’re not exactly sure where it originated. We’ll continue to try to research the origins of this holiday, but at the moment, it doesn’t seem likely we’ll find out where it came from.

Some Incredible Facts About Jellyfish

Let’s take a look at some exciting and incredible facts about jellyfish that we learned as we celebrated World Jellyfish Day. We hope everyone enjoys the following facts that we’ve gathered together below.

• Jellyfish have been around for about 500 million years, maybe even as long as 700 million years.
• Jellyfish aren’t as susceptible to climate change as some other marine animals.
• They excrete waste out of the same hole that they eat from.

Observing World Jellyfish Day

All across the world, there are aquariums that feature jellyfish exhibits, and we think these aquariums are the perfect way for people to learn more about these bizarre and exotic marine animals. Two of our favorite places to see jellies are the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, and the St. Louis Aquarium in St. Louis, Missouri.

At the Shedd Aquarium, people can see the Moon Jelly, Flowerhat Jelly, White-Spotted Jelly, Japanese Sea Nettle, and Purple Stripe Nettle. At the St. Louis Aquarium, people can see the Moon Jelly, the Atlantic Sea Nettle, and the Spotted Jelly.

Of course, there are about a hundred other aquariums around the world that also offer fabulous jelly exhibits. If a person sees a particularly exciting jelly exhibit, they should take the time to share it with the world using the hashtag #WorldJellyfishDay on social media.