Have you seen these beasts?

One involves basking sharks; the other jellyfish.

Now is the time to provide useful feedback on basking sharks, as the plankton-spawning season draws the creatures inshore around Britain’s coasts.

Sightings can be expected to take place regularly through this month and August, even into September, before the sharks move off into deeper water for the winter – or, as recent research revealed, go trans-oceanic.

Sightings, including as much detail as possible regarding time, location and features noted should go to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), for its Basking Shark Watch database of UK-waters basking shark populations. Report at www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/baskingsharks

Any photos would also be gratefully received by The Shark Trust, which coordinates the European Basking Shark Photo-Identification Project. It is “keen to receive any basking shark photographs”, which can be submitted at www.sharktrust.org/sd or emailed to sightings@sharktrust.org

The jellyfish survey is being run by MCS to “uncover the little-known habits of British jellyfish”. The information will also help with a wider programme to “find out more about leatherback turtles that migrate thousands of miles to UK waters to feed on their favourite jellyfish prey each summer”.

Substantial numbers of jellyfish have already been washed ashore on beaches in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Heavy populations are expected to continue through the rest of the summer.

Reflecting the link to turtles research, MCS is particularly interested in hearing about “the six larger jellyfish and two jellyfish-like species likely to be encountered around the UK coast and that are known to be leatherback prey”.

Both in-water reports from divers and beachings reports from walkers are welcomed. A coloured jellyfish photo-ID guide and recording forms can be downloaded at www.mcsuk.org

Related links
Taggings galore

Basking sharks like warm waters too