Red Crab Invasion

Thousands of tiny crabs have washed up on the shores of Southern California

KEVIN SULLIVAN—THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/AP

On Friday, May 13, sisters Sylvie and Line Bergeron walk their dogs alongside tuna crabs in Laguna Beach, California.

Thousands of tiny, bright-red crabs blanketed the beaches of Southern California last week. They appeared on beaches in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and other seaside communities during low tide, startling surfers and swimmers in the area.

FRANK DUENZL—DPA/AP

Thousands of tuna crabs like this one have washed up on San Diego’s beaches as a result of changing water temperatures.

“I was so shocked (to see them),” Laguna Beach resident Lauren Cavalia told The Los Angeles Times. “I had no idea that this kind of thing happened.”

These bright red crabs from the ocean are also called tuna crabs. Each one is about 1 to 3 inches long. Although they look like tiny crawfish or lobsters, they aren’t good for eating since they don’t have a lot of meat.

Marine experts say the crab population increase is likely a result of the El Niño weather pattern. This natural climate pattern occurs when the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator gets hotter than usual. The warmer waters linked to El Niño pushed large quantities of the crabs up north from Mexico, the marine experts said.

KEVIN SULLIVAN—THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/AP

El Niño weather patterns have caused piles of tiny tuna crabs to sweep up on Southern California beaches.

This isn’t the first time that El Niño has affected the location of creatures living in the Pacific Ocean. The black skimmer is a subtropical seabird that has been spotted off the coast of San Diego, much further north than it typically resides. Marin needlefish, sea hares, and Dana Point whales have also appeared in areas further north than their typical habitats.

The red tuna crabs have been washing up along the Orange Country coastline for the past several years. Before that, they hadn’t been seen in the area for decades.

How do you think the tiny red crabs will effect the other animals in the Southern California area? (Remember our food webs)