Thousands of starfish have been found washed up on a Scottish beach, with an expert suggesting heavy seas and strong currents are to blame for the mass stranding.
The invertebrates were discovered across a wide stretch of Kirkcaldy beach in Fife on Monday, with many propelled onto the paved footpath by large waves.
By Tuesday, the decaying remains of the creatures lay strewn in heaps across the sand, drawing bemused locals who navigated the unusual landscape, many capturing photographs.
An expert indicated that the mass stranding was "most likely the result of heavy seas and strong currents".
Local resident Helen Clark, 86, who has lived in Kirkcaldy for around 50 years, recalled the recent weather. "I’ve never seen anything like it," Ms Clark said.
"But I did see the strong winds yesterday, because all this sand was blowing up, so that could be a reason for it."
Her son, Andrew, who travelled from nearby Inverkeithing, described the sight as "very unusual".
The 61-year-old said: “I can’t understand why they’re all dead, first and foremost.
“Something’s killed them. What it is I don’t know. They need to get somebody down to have a look at it, I would say. But to see so many, it’s amazing.”
Professor David Ferrier, from the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews, said Monday’s heavy seas are a “likely explanation” for the stranding.
“If 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,” he said.
“This is most likely an unfortunate – for the starfish – natural event. Nothing to be worried about.”
He added that starfish can survive out of water for a short period of time, but “only really for a matter of minutes if they are completely high-and-dry”.
He went on: “If they are still alive when found, then it is worth putting them back in the sea and they may well recover and be fine.
“It is easy to see if a starfish is alive or not, as the hundreds of tube feet with suckers on the animal’s underside will be slowly moving around trying to gain a purchase on something.”
