With the arrival of summer, the beaches of Catalonia are filled with tourists eager to enjoy the sun and the sea. However, along with the summer season also comes the presence of jellyfish. To avoid unpleasant surprises, the Polytechnic University of Valencia has developed MedusApp.
This application provides real-time information on the presence of jellyfish on Catalan beaches giving swimmers more peace of mind that they will not encounter these stinging marine animals.
MedusApp is a useful and easy to use tool that allows users to know the situation of each beach in terms of the presence of jellyfish and the level of danger they represent.
Available for both Android and IOS devices, the app provides a map on which the different beaches are marked and the situation regarding jellyfish is shown in color.
Green dots indicate jellyfish-free beaches, allowing swimmers to enjoy the sea without worry. In the event that the presence of jellyfish has been detected, the following colors will appear on the map:
- Yellow: Jellyfish with little stinging.
- Orange: Stinging jellyfish.
- Red: Very stinging jellyfish.
This information allows swimmers to make informed decisions about where and when to swim, avoiding areas with a higher risk of encountering dangerous jellyfish.
Download MedusApp to stay informed
In addition to reporting the presence of jellyfish, MedusApp has included in its latest version new functionalities that enrich the user experience.
Now, bathers can also report the presence of debris in the sea, such as plastics, oil stains, wood debris, soaps and even masks or gloves.
This feature allows users to actively contribute to the protection of the environment and to improve the quality of the beaches.
Since its launch in 2018, MedusApp has been widely used by swimmers on Catalan beaches. The app has received more than 2,100 jellyfish sightings, of which 1,500 have been posted after review.
In addition, users have shared photos of more than 500 stings, which have been sent to the Fundación Jiménez Díaz Research Institute to study possible allergic reactions.
Although the sightings do not necessarily indicate the exact amount of jellyfish in an area, the application provides real and relevant information for swimmers. Knowing which species are most stinging and which are harmless can help swimmers.
How MedusApp came about
MedusApp has been developed by a team of experts from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), the University of Alicante (UA), the Immunoallergy Laboratory of the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD) and the CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES).
The application provides valuable information on the presence of jellyfish, stinging and harmless species, and how to treat stings, among other aspects.
