Rare sea creatures spotted off the Cornish coast
They've been identified as Salps, after a local underwater photographer found them whilst snorkelling near Logans Rock, Porthcurno
Last updated 30th Aug 2023
Rare sea creatures have been spotted glowing off the coast of Cornwall - thanks to incredible footage by the Wildlife Trust.
They've been identified as Salps, after a local underwater photographer asked for help in a bid to work out what they were.
Heather Hamilton, of Cornwall Underwater, was snorkelling near Logans Rock, Porthcurno, when she encountered what's been described as a 'large number' of the creatures, which are rare visitors to Cornish waters.
What are salps?
They're often mistaken for jellyfish - but they certainly aren't.
Salps are semi-transparent barrel-shaped marine animals, and they find themselves moving through the water by contracting bands of muscles.
These muscles ring the body.
Mostly herbivores, they feed on vast quantities of phytoplankton and are easy prey for pelagic snails, jellyfish, sea turtles, sea birds, and many types of fish.
The sea squirts usually live in open oceans, and often filter feed in chains - it's these chains which create fairy-light structures in the water, which is what Heather Hamilton spotted off the Cornish coast.
The creatures are rare to the waters of Cornwall, with only a few sightings, especially at this time of year.
However, when conditions are right, populations can reproduce and grow rapidly.
They're said to possibly be the fastest growing multicellular animal, increasing their body length by up to 10% per hour, to reach maturity in just 2 days.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Conservation Officer Matt Slater said: “It is incredibly rare to spot a Salp around Cornwall, let alone to encounter numbers like this and the spectacle that they create. It’s difficult to say what’s causing this population boom in our local waters.
"Various factors could be the cause, including wind direction and ocean currents, alongside environmental factors such as temperature or numbers of predators. It’s very exciting to see some of the numbers being reported and images that people are recording of them being sent in from all around the Cornish coast.
“We are keen to record as much information about this unusual spectacle as possible so please, if you do encounter this exciting phenomenon, make sure you report the sighting via our Orks website.”
Heather said: “My dad and I came across the salp bloom near Logans Rock, Porthcurno. We go out snorkelling together as much as possible and are blown away by the incredible marine life found on our doorstep.
“This evening in particular was very special. As we stepped into the water, there was an abundance of salps all around us. They swirled around and pulsated through the water. Some chains were metres long and covered every inch of the sea.
“It felt like we were in space and the salps looked as if they were stars in the sky. This incredible encounter was breath-taking and very special.
“Wildlife photography has been my passion since a very young age. I grew up in Cornwall and over on the Isles of Scilly. I have been lucky enough to be close to the sea and to be able to snorkel most days. I began taking marine photographs and became obsessed. It feels amazing to share wildlife stories with others and to be able to research into the diverse marine life we have in Cornwall.”
You are urged to share your sightings with the ORKS to help the Wildlife Trust improve our collective understanding of the natural history of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - which you can do here.
Salps found washed up on the beaches or on the shore should be reported to the Marine Strandings hotline: 0345 201 2626.