4 Rare Animal Species That Hurricanes Harvey And Irma Brought Us

The strength of hurricanes and the disheartening scene that followed after them are not the only things that surprised the world. It’s the fact that after their devastation, they seem to have brought us new wonders such as rare and never-been-seen-before animal species that got washed up on shore or have revealed themselves out in the open for us to see.

The eyeless fanged sea creature

After hurricane Harvey’s devastation, this rare sea creature seems to have gotten itself washed up on shore. According to reports, this creature was found lying on the Texas City beach by Preeti Desai. It was described as an eyeless sea creature with fangs and a body like that of a snake or an eel. As news of this creature spread, many are starting to ask “what the heck is this creature really?”

Turns out that this eyeless fanged creature is actually called the FANGTOOTH SNAKE-EEL or TUSKY EEL. Its scientific name is Aplatophis chauliodus. It is also called Toothy Eel and it can reach a length of 84cm. This creature can be found in coastal waters, especially in places like Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, etc. at a depth of 100-300ft.

The reason why it is rare is because they never come to the surface. They live in burrows under the sea and usually hides themselves. So far, they are harmless creatures because no threats have been reported yet and they only feed on crustaceans and fish.

The cory’s shearwater bird

It’s typical to see deep-sea creatures get washed up after a storm, but it’s quite a surprise to see a rare bird species get washed up too, but this is just one of the surprises hurricane Irma brought us.

The Cory’s Shearwater bird was found by island residents. It seems to have been half-drowned as it sits on the sand with waves battering its body. The reason why anybody would be surprised to find this bird species is because they live far away from Florida’s coast. They are usually found in the East Atlantic oceans on mountainous islands. They never really get close to land, which is why they are called seabirds. They don’t only fly but they also can dive up to 50ft, feeding on mollusks and fish.

The strong winds and storm surges brought by hurricane Irma may have successfully washed this rare bird species offshore even from miles away.

Full story can be seen at http://www.islandpacket.com/news/weather/hurricane/article173344291.html

The endangered key deer

The key deer, with the scientific name, Odocoileus virginianus clavium, is a well-known endangered deer species and they are usually only found in the lower part of Florida Keys only, in mangroves, pine Rocklands, and wetlands with freshwater. This is the reason why they are never really seen in public. Another reason is the fact that they are endangered species already, with a population of 1000 or less.

It is said that their habitat may have been destroyed by hurricane Irma that they were forced to travel outside Florida Keys. The key deer is known to be the smallest deer in North America, weighing only about 25-34 kg and standing only about 30 inches tall.

The six-toed cats

If not for hurricane Irma, the world may have never known about the six-toed cats. These cats are survivors of that devastating hurricane. They live in the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The author, Ernest Hemingway, seemed to have preserved the polydactyl bloodline of his adoptive tomcat.

Six-toed cats are known as polydactyl cats, but they are also given a variety of names such as mitten cats, thumb cats, Hemingway cats, etc. They are cats that have physical anomaly when it comes to the number of their toes and their paws, instead of the normal 4 and 5. Their toes can be more than eight. Very rare indeed.

With the powerful winds and storm surges, it is not a surprise if we see animals get washed up on the shore alter the storm. What is surprising is that since we do not really get to see some of these creatures in our daily lives, we are amazed and wonder how many creatures are out there that we do not know, exist.

Even the famous sharks could find themselves washed ashore by hurricanes, but whether the news is true or not, there should never be fear of an attack because, at the end of the day, these creatures are just like us. They just want to live and survive.

Hurricanes can really give us a lot of surprises not only in terms of how intense and stronger as well as how powerful their winds have become. News about two hurricanes that hit the United States recently, specifically hurricane Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida, were all over. Even if you are safely tucked inside your sturdy home, with your feet enjoying the sensation given by the best rated foot massagers you bought, you can’t help but worry about the possible damage hurricanes can cause to your place.