A mysterious, unidentified sea creature washed up on the shore of Russia’s Sakhalin Island this week. Marine biology experts are mystified about the possible species the carcass belongs to.
Horrifying, Strange Sea Creature Baffles Russian Marine Experts
On Sakhalin, a island far in the east of Russia, a few locals have made a strange discovery of what appears to be the mutilated carcass of some unknown, weird sea creature.
Marine biology experts from the Sakhalin Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (SakhNIRO) have described the creature as sporting a long beak like a bird, a furry tail, and long tufts of hair-like structure on its bones. It’s also rather large, having been touted as twice the size of a human.
However, they have been unable to classify which species of animal the carcass actually is. Aside from the decaying flesh of its carcass and its location near the Shakhtersk Airport on Sakhalin, the scientists have no other clues to solve this mystery.
Speculations Run Wild to the Weird Species Washed Up in Russia
As Russian scientists work on finding the real answer, speculations erupt via social media as to what exactly the sea creature can be. The strange theories range from mundane–a small, decomposing whale–to insane–a prehistoric, mutant animal hybrid.
Some theorists are absolutely certain the hideous sea monster is actually just a the gory, gutted remains of a Ganges River dolphin. It’s not completely unheard of for this species to travel to cooler waters. However, the presence of fur on the animal’s tail makes it harder to back the Ganges River dolphin theory considering those animals do not have fur.
Many of these odd conjectures also like to throw in the fun fact that the rotting carcass came ashore on a beach that is technically closer to the United States than it is to Moscow, Russia’s capital city. Perhaps they’re showing the remoteness of the location or perhaps they just want to distance themselves from the bizarre anomaly.
So seriously, what species is that odd sea creature?
Marine scientists haven’t been able to identify the strange monster yet, though some SakhNIRO researchers are confident it is some species of dolphin.
Nikolay Kim, Deputy Head of the Forecasting Department, said the creature’s head and beak point towards it being a dolphin, albeit a rather large one.
And what about the fur on its skin? Kim attributes it to being the characteristic of such a rare species. Though unusual, because dolphins don’t have fur, the scientists say it may be some subset that is just now making its presence known.
As Russian researchers search for the true answer to the mystery, the case remains open to wild speculations about what strange species the sea creature can actually be.
