Unexpected Rain Awakens Hundreds of Ancient Three-Eyed 'Dinosaur Shrimp' at Burning Man Festival in Nevada

Intense rainfall at Burning Man's gathering of more than 70,000 attendees roused numerous 'dinosaur shrimp' or fairy shrimp from their long dormancy. These creatures, enclosed in robust shells, found the festival's usually arid landscape transformed into an ideal habitat for hatching when rainstorms soaked the Nevada event.

Fairy Shrimps Emerged From Mud Pits at Burning Man Site

Festivalgoers witnessed these crustaceans emerging from the muddy terrain as they sought refuge from the flooded desert, and they are anticipated to lay more eggs in the coming week. Fairy shrimp, often referred to as 'living fossils,' have a lineage dating back over 500 million years to the Cambrian Period.

They are part of the Anostraca genus, which differ from shrimps in the Decapoda genus by lacking head and chest shells, featuring 11 pairs of legs compared to shrimps' eight, and possessing two eyes along with a pit organ serving as a third eye to detect light changes.

These creatures have a brief life span of two to three months, inhabit seasonal water bodies, and have eggs with remarkable resilience, capable of surviving in soil for years and even boiling water. Originally from oceans, fairy shrimps moved to shallow freshwater habitats to evade predators.

Also known as Triops, these shrimps awakened by rainwater like at the recent Burning Man festival possess a futuristic appearance with shield-like bodies and a third eye for detecting light changes and infrared waves, despite being one of Earth's oldest creatures, originating around 550 million years ago during the Gondwana supercontinent era.

While the idea of hundreds of prehistoric shrimp hatching at a massive event may seem like a horror movie plot, Triops are harmless to humans, primarily consuming plant matter, algae, and mosquito larvae. Nonetheless, their presence created challenges for the more than 70,000 festival attendees stuck in the muddy desert.

Thousands Stranded at Burning Man Festival

Burning Man is a renowned arts and culture event held in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, known for its challenging ticket acquisition process and commitment to its unique ideals.

However, about 72,000 Burning Man attendees were left stranded, enduring heavy rain that led to a muddy and flooded festival site. Traffic restrictions were lifted on Monday afternoon, causing a massive exodus, resulting in a five-hour wait time to leave as of Tuesday morning.

Reports indicated high tensions among the departing crowd, with Sheriff Jerry Allen mentioning clashes and property abandonment, including vehicles. The festival's aftermath was marked by logistical challenges and issues related to both transportation and conduct. This has been the longest and heaviest rainfall in over 30 years for the festival, leading to the postponement of the traditional effigy burning.

Festivalgoers were urged to seek shelter and conserve resources, but the muddy conditions and temporary lack of functioning portable toilets caused frustration among attendees, with some choosing to hike out of the area, including celebrities like DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock.

Unusual rainstorms occurred toward the end of the nine-day Burning Man festival, impacting the grand finale, the burning of the giant wooden effigy. A man's death during the festival was reported, but it was unrelated to the weather conditions.

RELATED ARTICLE: 'Abnormal Shrimp' From Cambrian Era Terrorized the Seas, Piercing Its Prey With Its Spiky Facial Appendages