Canberra: Mysterious alien-like creatures washed up on Adelaide beach in Australia. Though it initially freaked people out, the creatures were later found to be goose barnacles, which are considered a delicacy in many regions in Europe and America.
The news of the sighting spread online after a woman named Vicki Evans stumbled upon the creatures on the Australian beach. She clicked a picture of the creatures that were translucent and vermicelli-like in appearance, measuring about three meters long each. Sharing the image on a community Facebook page, Evans wrote, “‘Over 26 years walking Horseshoe Bay – I’ve never seen anything quite like this before! Nature never ceases to amaze!” Soon the image became a topic of discussion online. Commoners and marine experts came up with theories on the origin of the creatures. Some expressed their first impressions. One netizen claimed that they were the “freakiest” creatures they had ever seen. Another said that it looked “strange” and “cool”.
Alien-like creature found on Australia’s Adelaide beach turns out to be an expensive delicacy
Alien-like creatures wash up on Australian beach.
Images: Vicki Evans/Everybody Loves (Port) Elliot!/Facebook
Shutting down all theories, the answer was found. The creatures were identified as goose barnacles. They belong to the family of communal crustacean species and are related to crabs and lobsters. These creatures, also known as “percebes” in Spanish and Portuguese, are an expensive delicacy in many locations in Europe and North America with a whopping price of around Rs 21,000 per kg. Though their appearance might not be appetizing, they have earned a spot in gourmet cuisine due to their distinctive taste and texture.
