Tuna crabs invade San Diego beaches
Countless tuna crabs found on local beaches
San Diego area beaches were awash in red this week, shocking beachgoers and fascinating children.
Thousands of tuna crabs, also known as pelagic red crabs or langostillas, washed up en masse on the beaches this week, and no one is exactly sure why.
Michael Shane of the Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego blames El Nino for pushing the crustaceans out of their natural habitat.
“The crabs start to die because the local waters are much cooler,” Shane told ABC News.
In any case, the majority of the crabs will die once they are washed up on shore, and either eventually be swept back into the water or consumed by the local wildlife.
