What are those slimy sea creatures washing up on Florida beaches?
SANIBEL, Fla. (WFLA) — Southwest Florida beachgoers have noticed an unusual sea creature swimming by to their boats and washing up from the Gulf of Mexico.
“It looks like a cross between a jellyfish and a shell creature,” beachgoer Ronnie Sullivan told NBC affiliate WBBH. ”I’ve never seen one early in the morning. Is it like a ray because it has wings?”
The creature, which some have described as a “sea monkey,” “aquatic bat,” or a “sea snail,” is the slug-like ‘sea hare’. They’re mollusks, but without an external shell, and use their wing-like flaps to protect their gills and propel them through the water.
Dr. Jose H. Leal, the science director and curator at the Bailey-Matthews National Seashell Museum on Sanibel Island, told WBBH that sea hare typically stay out in the bay, but come closer to shore during their mating season. Just one sea hare can lay 500 million eggs in a single breeding season.
The creatures aren’t toxic for humans, if handled, but Leal said beachgoers should keep a close eye on their pets.
“If they are disturbed, they can release like a purple ink, that keeps predators away,” Leal told WBBH. “It’s a substance that is toxic to other animals. If you’re walking the beach with your small dog, you shouldn’t let them near.”
Sea hare, like any ocean creature, should be left alone and appreciated from a distance.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
