A Christchurch beach has turned bright pink after the high tide left millions of whale krill washed up.
Sea birds are feasting at Southshore beach on the swimming crabs which form important food for whales and other sea life.
Otago University's Marine Science Professor Steve King said the summer stranding is nothing to be alarmed about.
"It's a natural cycle of the pelagic food where climate change is happening but it is mostly manifested in the warm water conditions we are seeing right now.
"There's a raft of red-pink animals on the wave wash on the beach, that's a very typical thing to happen in the summer time in these sub-antarctic waters."
