Meduseo is a completely free app designed to help beachgoers avoid jellyfish stings, a growing concern along Mediterranean coasts. Created by imaging research engineer Jérémy Deverdun, the app allows users to check the jellyfish presence at their chosen beach before heading out.
Every year, the ACRI laboratory at Sophia-Antipolis produces a real-time map with information on recent jellyfish sightings near the beach you want to head to. It also exists in smartphone app format, called Meduseo. As a secondary source of information, the Méduséo website provides the same service.
Key Features
- Preventive Alerts: Since 2019, users have been able to access a participatory map on the Meduseo website and app (available for Android) to see jellyfish conditions at various beaches.
- Color Codes:
- Yellow dot: Few jellyfish present
- Orange dot: Some jellyfish detected
- Red dot: High jellyfish presence
- The app also provides estimates of how long jellyfish swarms may last, considering local currents and winds.
- User Contributions: Bathers and sailors can log their encounters with jellyfish, noting the location, date, time, and type of jellyfish when identifiable.
Popularity and Reach
In July of last year, Meduseo received over 6,000 reports. The town of Bonifacio in Corsica was identified as the jellyfish hotspot, with sightings on 18 days, followed by Ajaccio (13 days), Cargèse (10 days), and several towns along the Riviera, including Saint-Raphaël and Cavalaire-sur-Mer.
The app is also available in Portugal, Italy, the UK, Morocco, the USA, Australia, and will soon expand to Japan and Africa. Meduseo promises to enhance beach safety and potentially save vacations from jellyfish-related disruptions.
