"Stranger things on our shores. As well as a shipwreck, there have been some seriously strange things washing up on our beaches over the last few weeks. But the weirdest must be the masses of otter shell clams. These bivalves normally live buried deep beneath the seabed, using their siphons to filter plankton and algae from the water. The recent easterly winds have whipped up waves powerful enough to scour the seabed and lift these creatures out of their hiding places."
"Otter shell clams are often oval in shape and typically live deep beneath the seabed, rarely ever seen by humans. It is thought the recent stormy weather has led to the bizarre-looking clams being stirred up and brought to shore. Sadly, most of the otter shell clams had passed away during the movement and many of the surviving are unlikely to live if returned to the sea. A Dorset Wildlife Trust marine expert estimated the clams to be around seven years old."
Hordes of otter shell clams washed up along Studland Bay after recent stormy, easterly weather. Otter shell clams are oval bivalves that normally live buried deep beneath the seabed and filter plankton and algae using siphons. Powerful waves scoured the seabed and lifted the clams from their hiding places. Many of the clams were found dead, and surviving individuals are unlikely to survive if simply returned to the sea. A Dorset Wildlife Trust expert estimated the clams at around seven years old based on growth rings. Similar mass strandings occurred in 2018.
Read at Mail Online
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