An aquatic parasite known as sea lamprey, which literally sucks the blood out of its victims, was recently found washed ashore in England.
According to local media reports, the lamprey was discovered on Exmouth beach by a passerby earlier this week.
As communications officer at the Devon Wildlife Trust, Stephen Hussey, explained, sea lamprey are usually a rare sight in the area where the creature was discovered.
"Lampreys have struggled in recent decades and their numbers have fallen, mainly to the poor state of many of our rivers, and especially the effects of pollution. They are not a common find on an Exmouth beach”, he remarked.
A dangerous creature whose origins date back to the times of the dinosaurs, lamprey were also considered a delicacy by ancient Romans and vikings of old, as well as British royalty, with King Henry I dying after apparently eating a large amount.
