Soakedlontra
Contributor
Yesterday I went to walk on the beach at Fort Ebey State Park, Whidbey Island, on the northern side opposite to the spot where surfers take their boards when the sea is wrinkled by big swells. This time I did not end up picking up the usual trash, the beach was pretty clean, but photographing 68 dead Giant Pacific Chitons. I could not believe my eyes when I saw how many dead chitons were packed in about 380 feet of shore. It is not unusual to see these animals washed out on beaches dead, but I usually see two or three not sixty-eight!
I don't know why so many of these chitons died and got washed out in such short stretch of beach. Poisoning? (Except for a dead sea star and sea pen I did not see dead fish among the chitons). Fishing operations like trawling? Old age? (They were more or less the size of my hand, about 7/9 inches long or less)
to look at the pictures go to:
Open Water Bubbles: 68 Dead Giant Pacific Chitons
Cheers
I don't know why so many of these chitons died and got washed out in such short stretch of beach. Poisoning? (Except for a dead sea star and sea pen I did not see dead fish among the chitons). Fishing operations like trawling? Old age? (They were more or less the size of my hand, about 7/9 inches long or less)
to look at the pictures go to:
Open Water Bubbles: 68 Dead Giant Pacific Chitons
Cheers
