Man Sees ‘Sea Turtle’ On Beach But It Turns Out That’s Someone Unexpected

Howe stopped his journey out of pure curiosity and seized his camera in an effort to solve the puzzle.

As he took a step closer, Howe's eyes realized that the creature was not a marine mammal but rather some sort of land mammal. It was walking casually through the sand and surf.

“[I] assumed it was a raccoon or young coyote,” Howe said. “[But] as I drew closer, I realized it was a badger. You can tell by how it walks, digs and the white stripes on its face.”

Badgers are members of the weasel family with short legs, broad bodies, and shaggy fur. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, they have a distinctive white stripe that runs from their nose to their shoulders. They are skilled diggers who dig after small mammals, snakes, and other reptiles, birds, and some insects using their long, sharp claws.

The sight actually left Howe in awe. Never before had he encountered a badger in this area, and it left a lasting impression.

“Seeing a badger in the wild was on my bucket list,” Howe confessed. “[Badgers] belong here on the island, but they usually prefer to keep to themselves.”

As the badger nosed around and sifted through the sand for a meal, Howe, with the safety of a zoom lens, observed the creature without disturbing its natural rhythm.

“He was healthy,” Howe said. “After coming out of the water, he looks like a wet dog — not as fluffy, but clearly healthy. He chased and caught several sand crabs.”

Badgers are rarely seen because they are reluctant to be seen, so seeing one is a rare treat. And even when you accidentally meet a badger, they're often fleeting glimpses obscured by the landscape.

However, the badger that Howe encountered didn't seem to be in a hurry to vanish from view.

After capturing a collection of incredible snapshots, Howe eventually chose to part ways with the badger, continuing his journey homeward.

“I finally left him to his journey,” Howe said, admitting that his chance sighting that day will be one that’s hard to top. “I was shocked to realize what I was seeing.”