‘Alien Log’ Covered In Unusual Sea Creatures Captures Beachgoers’ Attention

Curiosity and intrigue filled the air as locals gathered at a popular beach in New Zealand, only to stumble upon a peculiar sight—an alien-like log resting on the shore. It was Kylie Morman, a beachgoer enjoying her morning walk on May 7, who stumbled upon this astonishing object covered with a multitude of shell creatures. The discovery took place at Papamoa Beach in the Bay of Plenty, situated along the picturesque northern coast of North Island, as reported by Stuff. According to the accounts shared by Kylie, the log was approximately 5 meters long and covered with sea creatures.

“It had worm-like tentacles and living creatures in the shells,” said Kylie Morman. The unsettling sight left Kylie Morman with mixed emotions, describing it as both “amazing” and “gross.” As she observed the log, she noticed the presence of worm-like tentacles and living creatures nestled within the shells. The beachgoer’s discovery sparked conversations among other locals who were equally mesmerized by its alien-like appearance. Some individuals even speculated that the sea creatures attached to the log could be the sought-after and expensive delicacy known as gooseneck barnacles.

To shed light on the matter, Wilma Blom, a marine invertebrate curator at Auckland Museum, confirmed the locals’ suspicions. Gooseneck barnacles are also called Lepas anatifera, which are a common delicacy in Portugal and Spain. “Probably Lepas anatifera. Yes, they are eaten, particularly by Mediterranean cultures. However, I have never eaten them myself,” said the expert.

This isn’t the first time when a bizarre-looking sea creature has washed up on the shore. These alien-like beings often leave humans wondering what they might be. A similar incident took place last year at Bondi in Australia when a beachgoer came across a strange-looking animal. Identified to be Drew Lambert, the man recorded a video of the creature and also shared it online via Facebook. While sharing the clip, the man asked, “Can someone please tell me what this weird alien-like creature is that was washed up on the beach at Bondi today?” Take a look at it here:

In the clip, Drew Lambert guesses that the strange creature could be a horn shark. The visual showcases the animal had human-like lips while the rest of the body seemed to be of a shark. The beachgoer explained he has never seen an unusual creature like that in the 20 years he has lived in Bondi. During an interaction with Yahoo News, the man said, “I just looked at it… what the hell, does this fish have human lips on it? It looked like it was puckering up for a kiss.”

The creature was later identified to be a numb ray also called coffin ray by Laetitia Hanna, a supervisor at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium.