This Bizarre Animal Keeps Washing Ashore on U.S. Beaches

Despite scientists conducting extensive research on the ocean and its possible inhabitants, there are still many bizarre animals out there that many of us are unaware of. Such is the case this summer as beachgoers in Texas made a strange discovery that keeps washing ashore…an animal that looks like sauerkraut.

This creature is actually a sauerkraut bryozoan or group of filter-feeding polyps, and while some may mistake it for algae, there are ways to tell the two species apart. It’s unclear why these animals have been popping up in large quantities but could be related to warming waters.

While it’s concerning for beachgoers, Jace Tunnell from the Harte Research Institute said that it’s nothing to worry about as this is just part of the natural cycle.

The sauerkraut bryozoan can grow up to 39 inches long and has a body that can appear translucent or transparent. It comes in different colors from brownish to bluish or light green, and prefers tropical or subtropical climates with salinities over 30ppt and temperatures of more than 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its main predators include fish, snails, birds, and insects.

If you’re ever unsure what creature you may have encountered on the beach then there is an easy way to tell them apart. According to Jace Tunnell from the Harte Research Institute if you squeeze it and it goes limp then it is a bryozoan however, if you press on it and it still stays stiff then you are looking at algae instead.

It’s not entirely clear why these creatures are washing up in such large numbers along Texan shores but one theory suggests that rising water temperatures could be playing a role here.

However despite their presence beachgoers should not be worried as Tunnell assured us that this will pass soon enough as part of the natural cycle of things – so don’t fear your next trip down by the beach.