Thousands of Pismo Clams are Surfacing on SLO County Beaches. Here’s what we know...

If you’ve walked along Pismo State Beach at low tide recently, you’ve probably had to watch your step in some areas.

Thousands of iconic Pismo clams have been surfacing on the sands over the past few months — stumping scientists and tripping up tourists.

“While we aren’t sure exactly what is causing this unusual behavior — or what has caused the recent population increase — we are exploring a few different explanations,” said Ben Ruttenberg, an associate professor and director of Cal Poly’s Center for Coastal Marine Sciences.

The clams began surfacing in large numbers on the beach in southern San Luis Obispo County earlier this fall.

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