{"id":411084,"date":"2025-09-09T18:20:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T18:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/411084\/"},"modified":"2025-09-09T18:20:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T18:20:17","slug":"starfish-apocalypse-thousands-of-sea-creatures-wash-up-on-scots-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/411084\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Starfish apocalypse’: Thousands of sea creatures wash up on Scots beach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thousands of starfish have been washed up on a beach in Scotland in a mass stranding.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kirkcaldy Beach in Fife was left strewn with the invertebrates on Monday.<\/p>\n

People sharing images of the scene dubbed it a \u201cstarfish apocalypse\u201d. Experts say the stranding is likely down to natural causes.<\/p>\n

\"PicturesFife Jammer LocationsPictures were shared on social media showing hundreds of the species were discovered along Kirkcaldy beach on Monday. Fife Jammer Locations<\/p>\n

Dr Lyndsey Dodds at WWF Scotland said that although it\u2019s \u201cdisturbing\u201d to see so many starfish washed up in one place, it\u2019s likely a natural event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not totally clear why this has happened, the most likely cause is a natural one such as increasing storms and high tides,\u201d she told STV News.<\/p>\n

She added that there have been stormy conditions out at sea and starfish\u2019s response to that could be a factor in the volume of them that washed up on the beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the starfish actually do in storm conditions is they roll up into a ball and they move with the waves and currents. So that can result in hundreds and thousands of them all coming together in one place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Professor David Ferrier, from the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews, said Monday\u2019s heavy seas are a \u201clikely explanation\u201d for the stranding.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf these heavy seas and strong currents caught an area of the seabed with lots of these starfish, then they will simply have been caught up in the waves and washed ashore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is most likely an unfortunate \u2013 for the starfish \u2013 natural event. Nothing to be worried about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PicturesFife Jammer LocationsPictures were shared on social media showing hundreds of the species were discovered along Kirkcaldy beach on Monday. Fife Jammer Locations<\/p>\n

He added that starfish can survive out of water for a short period of time, but \u201conly really for a matter of minutes if they are completely high-and-dry\u201d.<\/p>\n

He went on: \u201cIf they are still alive when found, then it is worth putting them back in the sea and they may well recover and be fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is easy to see if a starfish is alive or not, as the hundreds of tube feet with suckers on the animal\u2019s underside will be slowly moving around trying to gain a purchase on something.\u201d<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time a mass starfish stranding has happened in Scotland \u2013 a similar incident occurred in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did see this a few years ago in a similar location, so it does happen. The population of common starfish is relatively healthy so it shouldn\u2019t have much of an impact,\u201d Dr Dodds said.<\/p>\n

However, she added that the strandings could become more common as climate change increases the number of storm events in Scotland.<\/p>\n

Dr Dodds continued: \u201cUnfortunately with climate change we are seeing increasing storm events so it could be that we see more storms which could lead to more and more strandings like this. Which could potentially impact marine life.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for SEPA said: \u201cWe are aware of reports of large numbers of starfish washed up on Kirkcaldy beach in Fife.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a natural occurrence. Events like these are usually the result of recent stormy weather and strong waves, which dislodge starfish. During spawning, this can result in large numbers being washed ashore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese events are part of the natural cycle of marine life, and similar incidents have been reported along the east coast of Scotland in previous years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marine Conservation Society has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

STV News is now on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

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Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

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