Coastal storms kill 50,000 starfish

Extreme weather conditions have caused up to 50,000 dead starfish to be washed up on Lissadell Beach County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland, covering the sheltered beach in a blanket of mauve and pink.

The most likely occurrence for this would have been coastal storms, which the area had been experiencing in recent days; this could have dredged them up from the sea and on to the beach.

Bill Crowe a Marine Biologist and Lecturer at Sligo Institute of Technology has said “The most likely explanation is that they were feeding on mussels but it is a little strange that none of them were attached to mussels when they were washed in,” No other sea life has been washed up on shore.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government are currently investigating this strange occurrence, however this isn’t the first time this bizarre scene such as this has been seen on one of Ireland’s beaches, earlier this year Youghal Beach in Co Cork thousands of star fish were washed up there.

UK News Wildlife