On the 21st, a unique scene unfolded in the United States, as thousands of sea cucumbers were washed ashore on the beach of Seaside, a small coastal town in Oregon.
According to an Associated Press report, Booth, assistant manager of the Seaside Aquarium, said that on the 21st, large numbers of sea cucumbers were scattered along more than 3.2 kilometers of Seaside beach.
This phenomenon may occur when wave and tide conditions coincide, which means it may happen several times a year, or only once every few years. Booth noted that it had been several years since he last saw this many sea cucumbers on the beach.
As they cannot return to their natural habitat on their own, sea cucumbers will dry out and die. Booth pointed out that the sea cucumbers will provide nutrients for beach fleas and other invertebrates living on the tide line, as these creatures will feed on the sea cucumbers.
Any remaining sea cucumbers that aren't eaten may soon dry out and become part of the sand. Booth estimated that the sea cucumbers would disappear by the 23rd or 24th.