KOTA KINABALU, Jan 29 — If you are planning a Sabah beach vacation during the Chinese New Year holidays, you may want to avoid taking a dip in the waters off the state’s west coast.

Jellyfish season is now in full swing, The Star reported today.

The sea creatures are most commonly found along the beaches and parts of the coastline in the early part of the year because the seawater is particularly rich in plankton during this time.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) lecturer Muham­mad Ali Syed Hussein was quoted as warning that the turbidity of the colder seawater makes it hard to spot the transparent jellyfish.

Of the 16 jellyfish species found in waters off Sabah, the sting of three of the species is venomous.

They are Chiropsalmus quadrigatus, Chirop­salmus quadromunus and Carybdea rastoni which locals call balung api.

The Star also reported that four children were stung by jellyfish in Tanjung Aru between January 9 and 17.