Juliak Parrish News Today

What are those blue things washing up on Southern California beaches? Velella velella, of course. Also known as by-the-wind sailors. They're kind of like jellyfish.

What are those blue things washing up on Southern California beaches? Velella velella, of course. Also known as by-the-wind sailors. They're kind of like jellyfish.

In 2009, thousands of surf scoters washed ashore along the outer coast of Washington. In 2014, tens of thousands of Cassin’s auklets littered beaches from Haida Gwaii in British Columbia south to Newport, Oregon. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of common murres were found from California north to the Gulf of Alaska. And in 2016, thousands of rhinoceros auklets died in the Salish Sea.

In 2009, thousands of surf scoters washed ashore along the outer coast of Washington. In 2014, tens of thousands of Cassin’s auklets littered beaches from Haida Gwaii in British Columbia south to Newport, Oregon. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of common murres were found from California north to the Gulf of Alaska. And in 2016, thousands of rhinoceros auklets died in the Salish Sea.