According to scientists, the impact of climate change on sea levels has made king tidal flooding in Miami, Florida more severe. After the supermoon last November 14, it triggered high tides in Florida especially the part of Miami, which is on barrier islands across the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay is Miami Beach. In fact, a parking garage remains flooded and at least one sea creature was left far from home, it is an octopus that became stranded on the floor of the said parking area.
An Octopus Found In Florida
Photos of an octopus spread out in a flooded floor of Miami Beach parking garage have been floating around the internet all week, urging some skeptics to call “bogus” on both the discovery of the eight-legged creature out of its element and the force blamed for its appearance, climate change. Resident Richard Conlin shared a photo on his Facebook account of the octopus lying in a shallow puddle of water on the floor of Miami Beach, Florida, condominium parking garage.
According to Miami Herald, the University of Miami associate biology professor Kathleen Sullivan Sealey examined the photos and identified the octopus as likely one of two species common in South Florida waters. And she said Miami Beach residents ought to get used to seeing strange new creatures making sporadic appearances as rising sea levels push ocean waters deeper and more frequently onto land, along with some of the creatures that live in them.
Is This A Result From Supermoon?
Miami Herald consulted University of Miami biology professor Kathleen Sullivan Sealey, who told the newspaper the creature is the right species to be in the area, and she has a theory as to how it got there. "When that much sea water comes in the octopus is like 'what's this?' and goes to explore and ends up in a bad place," Sealey answered in an interview.
As reported by CNET, Sealey thinks the octopus was hiding in a drainage pipe, because rising seas mean those pipes are now partially submerged during very high tides, and attract sea life, which the octopus eats. It was probably hiding there enjoying the food and the dark space when an especially high tide dubbed a king tide (exacerbated by the recent supermoon) rolled in.
