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44
Wildlife at the coast
We are not alone in living by the sea. Millions of plants and animals use it as their home, too.
The coast is one of the most densely populated parts of the world – by wildlife. So when we go to live by the coast, we need to keep the needs of wildlife in mind as well.
Hiding in the beach
When the tide goes out the beach may look empty and lifeless. But this is because the creatures that live on the beach are sea animals. At low tide, they hide in burrows in the sand of beaches (picture ) and in the mud in estuaries.
Making the most of the surf
Wherever a wave breaks, the sand is disturbed, and small animals that live just below the sand surface can be tossed into the water and more easily be caught by birds (picture 2).
Living in rock pools
Rock pools are bowl-shaped hollows which hold sea water when the tide goes out (picture 3).
A rock pool is a very difficult place to live in, because of the constantly changing level of the tide and the battering by the waves. Clearly, a rock pool is no place for large living things, or those that are in any way delicate.
Animals like crabs, shrimps and small fish take shelter from waves under rocky ledges or stones. Some can burrow into the sandy bottom of the pool.
  Animals are exposed
on the open sandy surface of
a beach, so they often bury themselves to escape predators.
Sand hoppers
Crabs, burrowing worms and lugworms hide as the tide goes out and the water leaves the sand exposed.
Gull looks for food on the surface
Dead or stranded animals left exposed as the tide goes out.
Sprat
Cod
Plaice
Lugworm
Shrimps
Tern
Crabs
Herring
E 2 A wading bird probes for food in the surf using its long beak.
Birds and fish hunt for food as animals come out of their burrows as the tide rises.
Razor shell