Puri: A rare natural spectacle unfolded along Puri’s coastline, where thousands of live sea snails were spotted moving across the sandy shore at Niladri Sea Beach and the Blue Flag Beach.
The sea snails arrived in large groups during the night, traversed the sand, and retreated to deeper waters within one to two hours after sunrise. Early-morning visitors described the sight as mesmerising, with trails left on the beach, and noted it had not been witnessed in such a scale previously on Puri beaches.
Viral Attention
Videos of the event went viral on social media and YouTube around February 9, 2026, drawing appreciation for the pristine coastal environment. Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik commented that the phenomenon could be a regular natural activity, calling it a mesmerising sight of thousands arriving together.
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Here’s the viral video:
Incredible nature 🌊
This morning at Blue Flag Beach, Puri#IncredibleOdisha 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Y3hJe0hzqV— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) February 9, 2026
Expert Views
Sea snails like these (potentially plough snails) play key roles in beach ecosystems, such as scavenging carrion and aerating sand, often indicating healthy, low-pollution conditions. The exact trigger for this mass movement remains unclear, with no confirmed link to climate change or other factors.
