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Thousands of sea cucumbers have washed up on the beach oregon coastal city of seaside Thanks to a combination of heavy surf and low tide.
The partially translucent, pink gelatinous creatures are called skin-breathing sea cucumbers. They usually sink into the sand along the low tidal line and float away. But on Tuesday, they were scattered over more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of Seaside Beach, said Tiffany Boothe, assistant manager of the Seaside Aquarium.
“They’re literally ruining the tide pools,” Boothe said. They are about half an inch (1.3 cm) long but can grow to about 6 inches (15 cm).
This phenomenon can occur whenever wave and tide conditions match, which could mean a few times a year or once every few years. Sometimes there will be a few people scattered here and there on the shore but during this latest episode there were large groups on the beach.
Boothe said sea cucumbers are not able to return to their natural habitat on their own so they will dry out and die. They will provide nutrients for beach hoppers, beach fleas and other invertebrates living along the tide pools that will feast on them. birds Don’t eat them.
Whatever remains will likely dry quickly and turn into sand. Booth doubts they will be gone by Wednesday or Thursday.
The scientific name of cucumber is Leptosynapta clarkii. They live along the coast from the north California till gulf of alaska,
The coast is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northwest of Portland, Oregon.