World Record Largest Dendraster Excentricus (Western Sand Dollar)
Found August 15th, 2013 at Eld Inlet in Olympia, Washington
Donated to the California Academy of Sciences
106.1 mm long (4.2 inches), and 116.1 mm wide (4.6 inches)
The world record sand dollar is another species with a smaller internal volume; not as "large"
Found August 15th, 2013 at Eld Inlet in Olympia, Washington
Donated to the California Academy of Sciences
106.1 mm long (4.2 inches), and 116.1 mm wide (4.6 inches)
The world record sand dollar is another species with a smaller internal volume; not as "large"
Eric often had dreams of finding something either valuable or a world record. He has done just that. When Eric and Tippy were strolling along the Eld Inlet in Olympia at a typical tide on a much windier than normal summer day, he was very surprised to see a lone mega sand dollar in an unlikely location fully intact on a rough, rocky beach where many people step. Out of about 50 beach walks there, he had found only two other sand dollars on that same beach, but they were the smallest ones he had ever seen and so fragile they just fell apart.
The same week he found the mega sand dollar, he turned in his college assignment which is an
. As an eco activist, Eric believes it's possible that the ocean "wanted" him to find this sand dollar as he is the most likely candidate to promote environmentalism and especially sustainable fishing practices to prevent over-fishing and thus the extinction of certain species.