The stranded crab dyes red the California coast

The southern coast of Monterey Bay, California, USA, turns bright red as millions of crabs come ashore and stranded due to the El Nino phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific.

Red crabs poured into the shore due to the impact of El Nino

The American Marine Conservation Agency noted that this was the first time the red crab appeared in Monterey Bay from 1982-1983, and was the fifth collective stranded case in the central Gulf of California.

Millions of red crabs poured into the beach.(Photo: Social News Daily).

According to Grind TV, red crabs are also called tuna crabs because they are the main food source of tuna. Red crabs look like small lobsters and mainly rely on ocean currents off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. They are so abundant that they become a source of food for many animals including tuna, migratory fish, giant squid, Humbolt squid, seabirds, turtles, whales and fins.

Photo: Kande Williston.

This year, the El Nino phenomenon caused sea water to warm up to a record level. The movement of warm water entails many subtropical animals, including red crabs. The reason they run aground has not been clarified, but once they are unable to return to the sea, they will die or prey on seagulls and other seabirds.

Red crab is shaped like a small lobster.(Photo: Kate Cummings).

Photo: Underwaterpat (instagram).

Patrick Webster, a local photographer, estimates there are millions of red crabs coming ashore on October 8 and 9. This landslide may require large-scale beach cleaning.