Can You Keep Sea Pork? A Guide to Collecting and Caring for These Strange Sea Creatures

Strolling along the beach you spot a fleshy slimy blob washed up in the sand. At first glance, it looks like a detached organ or severed body part. But upon closer inspection, you realize it’s a strange sea creature known as sea pork.

Sea pork, despite its unappetizing appearance, is a fascinating find Their blob-like shapes and bright colors attract the curiosity of many beachcombers But an important question arises – can you actually keep sea pork if you find it on the beach?

In this complete guide, learn all about sea pork, including whether it can be kept as a pet or curiosity, how to collect and care for it, what precautions are needed, and more.

What Exactly Is Sea Pork?

The name “sea pork” refers to a few species of invertebrates in the tunicate family Tunicates are primitive chordates closely related to vertebrates. There are over 2,000 species found throughout the oceans

The most common sea pork are:

• Aplidium californicum – found along North America’s west coast
• Aplidium stellatum – common in the Caribbean
• Aplidium solidum – seen along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico

These colony creatures form dense masses of tiny zooids encased in a thick, translucent, gelatinous tunic. The tunic looks like skin or cartilage, giving sea pork its strange meat-like appearance.

Sea pork is normally found attached to rocks, shells, boats, and pilings in shallow, intertidal waters. Strong winds, currents, and storms knock sea pork colonies loose, washing the blobs ashore.

Is It Legal to Take Sea Pork From the Beach?

In most cases, yes it is legal to collect washed up sea pork from public beaches. As long as you are not removing it directly off docks or boats, shoreline sea pork is generally fair game.

Just be sure to check your local beach regulations, as some sensitive conservation areas may prohibit removing or disturbing natural objects. And of course, never take sea pork from private beaches without permission.

Studying beached sea pork helps biologists monitor ocean ecosystem health and track which species are present. So feel free to poke around! Just avoid damaging live sea life.

Can You Keep Sea Pork as a Pet or Curiosity?

Sea pork does not make a good pet, but specimens can be kept short-term as an educational curiosity. Here are some key points if you want to temporarily maintain sea pork after collecting it:

• Work quickly before it dries out – sea pork perishes rapidly once removed from water.

• Place in a shallow dish and cover with seawater. Add an airstone for oxygenation.

• Use a gentle circulation pump to simulate wave action. This brings in food particles.

• Keep in cool, dim conditions to mimic its natural habitat.

• Change the water frequently to prevent fouling.

• Release back into the sea within 2-3 days before deterioration sets in.

• Never keep in a sealed container on its own – it needs water flow to feed.

So while not a true aquatic pet, sea pork can be briefly kept to observe how it filters food from water. But long-term maintenance is quite difficult.

Collecting and Preserving Specimens

For more extended specimen keeping, sea pork can be collected and preserved using these steps:

• Carefully cut or detach a complete colony from rocks or debris using a knife or tweezers. Avoid damaging the tunic.

• Place directly into seawater containing menthol crystals or a few drops of formalin to relax and euthanize.

• After 2-3 hours, transfer to 70% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol solution for preservation. Use a large volume of preservative liquid.

• Label the jar with species, collection date, and location. Store in a cool, dark place.

• Change the preservative solution every few months to keep the sample in good condition.

Well-preserved sea pork specimens can be kept for scientific study or as educational museum displays. Always adhere to local regulations when collecting.

Observational Tips If Keeping Sea Pork Short-Term

• Watch the tiny pore-like openings contract rhythmically to pump water through the tunic.

• Shine light through the tunic to observe the individual zooids inside. The golden proto-hearts may be visible pulsating.

• Look closely at the upper surface for bumps and projections where each zooid protrudes.

• Note how quickly the tunic deflates and wrinkles when removed from water.

• Feed it tiny marine plankton like brine shrimp and observe how particles are filtered from the flowing water.

Even a brief glimpse into the unique biology of live sea pork is fascinating. Just be sure to return it to its ocean home quickly.

Why Does Sea Pork Perish So Rapidly?

Sea pork dies swiftly when taken out of water because its physiology is highly adapted for intertidal life. In the wave zone, sea pork experiences periods of immersion and exposure multiple times a day. Special adaptations allow it to withstand these changing conditions:

• The tunic retains moisture during low tides, preventing desiccation.

• Zooids rapidly pump water when submerged to feed and oxygenate.

• Small openings in the tunic constrict tightly when exposed to avoid water loss.

• Cilia sweep food toward the mouth opening.

Removed from the intertidal zone, sea pork loses its ability to adapt, leading to rapid dehydration and death. This is why it must be returned to the ocean so quickly after collecting.

Is Sea Pork Safe to Eat?

Sea pork is not toxic, but it is not recommended for consumption. Like other tunicates, the zooids concentrate heavy metals and contaminants from the surrounding seawater. Eating beached sea pork could potentially introduce high levels of mercury, arsenic, and cadmium into your body.

While some tunicate species are commercially harvested for food, specific prep methods are used to remove the tunic and cleanse the zooids to make them safe to eat.

So it’s best to avoid eating sea pork found washed up unless you thoroughly lab test it first. The risks outweigh the dubious potential benefits.

Why Does Sea Pork Look Like Meat?

Many people mistake sea pork for raw flesh or detached body parts upon first seeing it. But why does harmless sea pork resemble meat so closely?

There are a few reasons behind the anatomical parallels:

• The thick, cartilage-like tunic resembles animal connective tissues.

• When some of the zooids are removed, the inner tunics have a meat-like texture.

• The crimson, purple, and pink colors are similar to muscle and organ tissue.

• Dehydration causes the tunic to shrivel like flesh or skin.

• Colonies can form human organ-like shapes.

So while it is in no way related to animal tissue, sea pork has curiously evolved a texture and appearance that closely mimics raw meat.

The Takeaway

Sea pork is a strange but fascinating marine invertebrate worthy of closer investigation. While admiring them on the beach, you may be tempted to pick up a specimen and take it home for a pet. However, it’s important to note sea pork has very specific care needs and will rapidly perish out of water.

Your best bet is to observe the live creature briefly in a dish of seawater, then return it to its intertidal home. Photograph the specimens instead of removing them whenever possible.

With some diligent hunting, you can find and temporarily keep sea pork. Just follow proper handling guidelines, treat the organisms with respect, and send them safely back to the ocean once your curiosity is satisfied.