As Australia's scorching summer continues, this amazing photo of a jellyfish on a beach in Queensland has been compared to a 'melting ice cream'.
It's one of many such animals that have washed up on beaches down the country's east coast, after large swells in the ocean and warm weather caused a 'jellyfish invasion'.
Speaking to The Cairns Post, Kerryn Bell - who runs a boat tour group in the area - said the jellyfish appeared as though they were melting on the hot sand. Judging by the picture, it's hard to disagree:
Bell told the news outlet: "They came in during the big tides we had, and they've been sitting out in the hot sun, and it looks like they're starting to melt.
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"I've never seen that before. It was like looking at melting ice cream."
However, marine expert, Dr Adele Pile, says it's normal for jellyfish to look like this after they die.
"They aren't melting from the heat, this is just a normal part of their life cycle." she told 9News. "Jellyfish normally have a lifespan of about a year.
"We're at the end of summer, there's been a big plankton boom and these guys have gorged themselves and now have enough energy to reproduce and now their life cycle is over.
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"They're decaying in the water opposed to melting."
These animals - known as 'true jellyfish', or Scyphozoa - can measure as big as 60cm wide, and although they're not as dangerous as other types of jellyfish, such as box jellyfish or deadly Irukandji jellyfish, which are often found in this part of the world, beach-goers are still being told to steer clear of the creatures as they can give a nasty sting.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Surf Life Saving Queensland Cairns lifeguard supervisor Jay March said: "It's simply not safe to have the beaches open at this point in time, particularly with these sustained conditions, and the sheer number of stingers we're seeing in the water.
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"The beaches will be closed over the coming days and, at this stage, they won't be reopened until conditions change and take those stingers back out to sea."
If you do happen to get stung, please forget all about weeing on it to take the sting away. Healthline say that there is nothing to suggest this works.
The website reads: "One of the possible reasons that this myth became popular could be due to the fact that urine contains compounds like ammonia and urea. If used alone, these substances may be helpful for some stings."
Instead of going to the toilet on yourself, you're advised to seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Reef Express