The sea cucumber plays an unusual role in its ecosystem. | National Geographic

Can you believe this is real?? Check out one of the sea cucumbers at the Rocky Coast Discovery Pools in this side up video! Sea cucumbers eat by slowly reaching 'branches' of tentacles out into the water to grab particles of food, and it's truly mesmerizing in a time-lapse video! | Alaska SeaLife Center

Sea Cucumbers: The Ocean's Unsung Heroes... That Breathe Through Their Butts! 🐛🌊 They may look like sluggish, leathery logs dragging across the seafloor, but sea cucumbers are marine powerhouses in disguise. Using delicate, tree-like tentacles around their mouths, they sweep in plankton and tiny particles like living vacuum cleaners. Just like earthworms on land, they ingest sediment, break down organic matter, and excrete nutrient-rich "fertilizer" that revitalizes the seabed—recycling waste,