Those creatures that look like blobs that have been washing up on beaches and on the shores of Oakland's Lake Merritt: Biologists assure the public they're harmless.
The organisms are called California sea hares.
"They are completely harmless,” said the East Bay Regional Park District’s Morgan Dill. “There's nothing they can do to you at all other than gross you out."
Sea hares eat plants. One scientist suggests the sea hares are appearing in the Bay Area because warmer temperatures near coastal waters are attracting them inland.
"It also might be because the bay water is pretty warm throughout the year, and perhaps they're able to reproduce longer,” Dill said.
So, instead of malicious creatures invading the bay, they're more exhausted animals trying to live out the rest of their days on the beach.
Dill said, if you see one, let it go in peace.
