Karachi:
A rare and extraordinary natural occurrence drew large crowds to Clifton Beach on Friday when millions of oysters were found washed ashore over a huge stretch of the coastline.
According to eyewitnesses, many of the oysters were still alive, creating a surreal scene that attracted both residents and beach guests. Visitors gathered along the beach and collected oyster shells like souvenirs and cracked photos of view.
Navy experts attribute the phenomenon to changing wind patterns that triggered strong tidal streams. Moazzam Khan, technical adviser in WWF-Pakistan, said the shift in wind direction caused heavy waves that brought the oysters to the surface and eventually to land. “While marine pollution often leads to oyster mortality, the presence of living oysters suggests that tidal act rather than pollution was the primary cause,” he added.
Khan also identified a huge part of the species that was washed ashore as blood clams, a type of marine tokalling. The beach, he said, was strongly filled with both large and small oysters, indicating the extent of the event.
Then, Clifton Cantonment Board launched a clean -up operation using heavy machinery to clear Oyster Remeles Beach, which had begun to emit a strong odor due to degradation in the swelling heat.
Oysters are marine mollusks known for their hard protective shells. In many countries, including Thailand, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia, oysters are considered a delicacy. Some species, such as pearls, can produce natural pearls, although these are only rarely found – typically in a small fraction of samples.
Oyster shells are often seen on beaches all over the world, but they are usually empty without any living organism inside, which are either dead naturally or been consumed by predators. Most oysters live buried in seabed or river bed, with some species that live for several years. North America is known for hosting the greatest diversity of oyster species.
Oyster shells have long been used for the production of jewelry and decorative objects, especially those containing beads formed under high pressure in the mollusc over time.
