Wildlife officials sparked amazement online after posting an image of a large, gelatinous mass they discovered in Lake Huron, Popular Science reported.
“Cursed Gummy Bear?” the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service captioned the photo, according to People. “Nope, just a magnificent bryozoan doing its thing
Despite the blob’s alien-like appearance, bryozoans can be found around the world in both freshwater and saltwater habitats. Over 4,000 different species of bryozoans are known to exist, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
“If you’ve ever found a floating, gelatinous blob while out kayaking and thought, ‘Who left that perfectly good gummy bear to rot in the lake,’ you’re not alone,” the USFWS wrote on Facebook and Instagram.
“But guess what, that isn’t a gummy, a pile of frog eggs, a mutant brain, or a sci-fi nightmare,” the post continued. “It is Pectinatella magnifica, aka the magnificent bryozoan.”
What appeared to be “a single giant blob” creature was in fact a colony of “thousands of tiny, filter-feeding creatures called zooids, working together in harmony,” per the USFWS.
“Bryozoans are tiny animals, no longer than 4 millimeters (5/32 of an inch) wide,” explained the USFWS website. “They float alone for a time, but eventually form colonies, working together for mutual benefit.”
While they might appear to be something from another planet, bryozoans actually play an important role in many of Earth’s aquatic ecosystems.
“These ancient creatures breathe life into freshwater, capturing plankton and cleaning the water as they drift in slow-moving rivers and lakes,” the USFWS said on Facebook. “Some colonies grow over a foot wide, pulsing gently with the current, a secret world hidden in plain sight.”
The Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Michigan made the discovery, according to Popular Science.
The post cast a spotlight on the vast biological richness of even relatively familiar ecosystems such as the Great Lakes.
It also served as a reminder of the incredible interconnectedness of the natural world and the potential perils of not preserving it.
Many experts have argued that Earth presently is experiencing its sixth-ever mass extinction event, which has been caused almost exclusively by human activity.
To help native ecosystems thrive, there are plenty of steps that you can take right in your own backyard. For example, planting a native garden or rewilding your yard can save money on water bills and landscaping costs while also helping local wildlife such as birds, small mammals, and pollinators.
Taking things a step further, driving an EV or installing solar on your home reduces planet-heating pollution while also slashing electricity and fuel costs.
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