Millions of pink sea cucumbers washed ashore at Suan Son Beach in Rayong yesterday, June 6, after strong waves and storm conditions, turning several hundred metres of shoreline reddish pink.
Tourists reported the unusual sight at around 10am, prompting officials from the Marine and Coastal Resources Office 1 and Rayong marine resources officials to inspect the beach.
The animals covered large sections of the sand, a natural phenomenon officials said is rarely seen in such volume.
Thanet Mannoi, director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Office 1, said the animals were pink sea cucumbers, also known by its scientific name as Cercodemas anceps.
The species is an invertebrate that lives on the seabed. It has a soft cylindrical body resembling a cucumber or sausage, with small bumps or spines on its skin. Its colour ranges from bright pink to reddish orange.
Officials said marine animals such as shellfish, crabs and some seabed species are sometimes washed ashore during monsoon periods or rough sea conditions. However, they said the number of sea cucumbers found at Suan Son Beach was unusually high and rare for the area.
Thanet said the pink sea cucumbers likely washed ashore because storm conditions and strong waves disturbed the seabed and pushed them towards the beach.
He said sea cucumbers play an important role in marine ecosystems by breaking down remains of marine life and organic matter on sandy seabeds. They are sometimes described as the “housekeepers of the sea” because they help maintain the balance of underwater ecosystems.
Siam Chon News reported that Thanet asked tourists to avoid touching the animals directly. Some sea cucumber species can release defensive substances, which may irritate people with sensitive skin.
In another natural phenomenon elsewhere, a large number of bluebottle jellyfish have washed up on two beaches in Phang Nga following rough monsoon conditions, prompting officials to warn beachgoers to avoid contact with the venomous marine creatures.
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