Respect
Rocky Shores
Rocky shores can be incredibly diverse places in terms of the number of different species that live there. Animals use the safety of crevices, rocks and seaweeds to attach to, feed on or hide amongst. The area between the high and low tide is viewed as one of the most treacherous places on the planet to live on. During the day the creatures living on the rocky shore must contend with different levels of salt in the water, drying out, heating or cooling or being eaten in a place which can often get slammed hard by crashing waves. Ensuring we take care of this special habitat and its wildlife is one less worry for them.
How to interact with the rocky shore
Rockpooling
Crabbing
Welsh seas are full of amazing wildlife
How to look after Rocky Shores
Remember that many creatures have a home territory. If you are looking for creatures in rockpools or along rocky shores, please return them all to where they came from and replace any rocks you have overturned.
Limpets leave a chemical slime trail behind them while moving around grazing on algae at high tide, and follow this back to their home ‘scar’ when the tide starts to drop. If moved to a different rock pool they will not be able to find their way back and may die.
Many species of crabs live on our rocky shores, scavenging for food in pools and under rocks. Be very careful when handling them, only ever holding them from above by the two sides of their shell. Crabs are quite agile and even small ones can give a very painful nip.
