Mystery over 'weird' creature found on Perth beach
The discovery of a strange looking creature on a popular beach has left locals puzzled after parts of its dead body was spotted poking through the sand.
A man was strolling along Leighton Beach in Fremantle, southwest of Perth, when he discovered the animal. He shared images to a local Facebook group on Monday in search of answers.
“Found this weird stuff on Leighton beach, look like a dead body does anyone know how what it is?,” he wrote to the group.
More than 100 people weighed in with their opinion, with suggestions ranging from it being a giant squid to “something from a tree”.
Someone thought the “intriguing” creature might have been a massive cuttlefish, while several jokingly concluded the animal was most probably an alien of some description.
“I think it's radioactive, you should try to pour water to see if it turns purple. Then that means it's still alive and you two are about to swap bodies,” another jokester said.
One person said it looked “like a tribal mask”, with many arguing in favour of it being either a shark or a ray of some kind.
Several suggested the find was a shovel nosed shark, which typically has similar colourings to that of the animal pictured, while many thought it was possibly a stingray.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries said based on speculation, the animal “could possibly be a guitarfish (elongated ray)”.
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