As temperatures continue to soar across Australia this year, many locals flocked to Semaphore Beach,
With Sigor on hand to capture the unusual moment on his camera, he explained how the creatures initially began appearing earlier in the year during a heatwave.
He believes that an algae bloom might provide an explanation, saying: “The problem began earlier in the year following a severe heatwave.
“Many sea creatures were found dead on the coastline. It’s not happening in one day – it started at the end of the summer, caused by a heatwave. The water in the sea became warm, which created perfect conditions for growing algae.”
An algal bloom—or what seems to be the case in this instance, a harmful algal bloom (HAB)—can have a severe impact on creatures living in the sea.
an idyllic coastline located just a few miles north of Adelaide on the west coast. But while those at the beach were trying to make the most of the hot weather, they were left shocked by one thing they witnessed.
One of those hoping to enjoy the heatwave as it swept across Australia was a local man named Sigor, who was on hand to catch a glimpse of the tens of sea creatures washed up on the shore.
While it’s not uncommon for those making the short journey from shore to sea to catch a glimpse of sea creatures while spending time at Semaphore, it is unprecedented for so many of them to end up on the sea’s edge for all to see.
With Sigor on hand to capture the unusual moment on his camera, he explained how the creatures initially began appearing earlier in the year during a heatwave.
He believes that an algae bloom might provide an explanation, saying: “The problem began earlier in the year following a severe heatwave.
“Many sea creatures were found dead on the coastline. It’s not happening in one day – it started at the end of the summer, caused by a heatwave. The water in the sea became warm, which created perfect conditions for growing algae.”
An algal bloom—or what seems to be the case in this instance, a harmful algal bloom (HAB)—can have a severe impact on creatures living in the sea.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: “A harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurs when toxin-producing algae grow excessively in a body of water. The excessive algal growth, or algal bloom, becomes visible to the naked eye and can be green, blue-green, red, or brown, depending on the type of algae.”
Describing how the algae bloom originally started on the south coast before making its way to Semaphore Beach, Sigor shared how it even impacted beachgoers as well as the nearby sea life: “It started mostly on the south coast in Victor Harbour and Goolwa with very foamy waves, causing the itchy throats of beachgoers and lots of dead sea creatures.”
He added: “The algae blooming started in February or March, when temperatures were very high. It caused white-green foamy toxic waves in the ocean, and since then, the bloom has been slowly spreading around the SA coast. Now temperatures are low, but the algae is still spreading and has reached Adelaide and its suburbs.”