Mysterious Snake-Like Creature Washes Up On Beach, Baffles Experts

A mysterious creature washed up on the shore of a beach in Texas, baffling experts who weren't able to determine the creature's identity. The image of the creature was taken by a Padre Island National Seashore visitor.

The image, which went viral on social media, showed the long, slender creature lying on the sand. Some users said it looked like a snake while others said it could be an eel. The image was later sent to park officials who were trying to figure out the creature's identity.

Initially, officials said it could be a Texas blind snake.

“Given all the coastal flooding that has been occurring, we thought this might be a pretty good guess,” Padre Island National Seashore posted Monday on Facebook.

However, after a closer look, they realized the body of the creature aligned more with that of an eel.

The park said they found there was a species called snake-eels, which are known for burrowing in mud or sand. They do this to catch small fish or crustaceans.

“Sometimes they can mimic the coloring of venomous sea snakes to deter predators and are often washed up by large storms,” the park said. “We’re sticking with snake-eel. What do you think it might be?”

There have been several times in the past when mysterious creatures washed up on shores.

Last year in August, an "alien-like" sea creature was found on a beach in the United Kingdom. It was later identified as a “buoy barnacle,” an unusual and rarely-seen crustacean. The creature was spotted by a woman who was taking an evening stroll along Saunton Sands, a beach near Devon County in southwest England.

She was baffled by its mysterious pale-blue appearance and posted photos on a Facebook group in the hopes someone could help her identify it.