Mystery over mass stranding of thousands of starfish
BBC••world
Key Points:
- Thousands of starfish were found washed up on Wardie Bay beach in Edinburgh, discovered by wild swimmers early Thursday morning.
- Marine biologists suggest that stormy weather and rapid weather changes likely caused the mass stranding by dislodging starfish from the seabed.
- Many starfish died from exposure after being carried ashore, with some found frozen due to the cold temperatures overnight.
- Witness Hannah Foster described the scene as "shocking" and "bizarre," noting that such an event is rare, having only been seen once before in five years.
- Efforts were made by swimmers to rescue some starfish that appeared still alive, although the effectiveness of this was uncertain.
