Why did thousands of starfish wash up dead on Welsh beach?

Why did thousands of starfish wash up dead on Welsh beach?
Why did thousands of starfish wash up dead on Welsh beach?



Thousands of starfish and other sea creatures have been found washed up on Pensarn Beach in Wales.

Local Gordon McGookin was walking along the beach on Sunday morning when he came across the scene.

He took a video showing thousands of starfish and razor clams strewn along the shoreline.



According to the Daily Post, Gordon, who lives across the road from the beach, said he believed the creatures may have been washed onto the sand in high tide and then became stranded.

Gordon uploaded his video to YouTube, and shared it on his Facebook page. One user commented below the video: "Gotta be something to do with tides or currents or a 'swell', whatever that is. I do feel sorry for em though, I like starfish."

Gordon replied: "I know dude was freaky..loads of half-eaten ones and a bunch of fat seagulls with wry smiles on their beaks."

According to the Wales Online, it's not the first time a large number of starfish have been seen along the shoreline on a beach in Wales.

In 2011, visitors to Talacre were left shocked when a similar incident occurred.

At the time, Alistair Hemphill, coastal ranger for Flintshire Council, said the creatures did not die in suspicious circumstances.

He said: "It's not a natural disaster. It's not a sudden beaching of starfish.

"It could be that they have just come to the end of their life cycle, died after mating and spawning and have lain dead in the sea for a long time.

"Strong winds and bad weather have then washed them ashore."



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