Have you watched Ranger Karima’s seashore safari guide to a seashore safari?
Once you get started you won’t believe all the different creatures you’ll find on the beach.
With six weeks of school holidays ahead of us, it’s a great way to spend time on the beach, finding out about the amazing creatures which live on the shore. And a perfect way to mark National Marine Week which runs from 23 July to 7 August.
In this video Karima will tell you everything you’ll need to know to get the best out of your seashore safari.
Along with a couple of helpers, Karima found oysters, top shells, periwinkles, crabs, a beadlet anemone, sea spiders, limpets – and, most exciting of all, a starfish! What will you find?
Things to bring with you:
- a small container, such as a clean takeaway box
- a utensil, such as a clean plastic spoon
- footwear that you don’t mind getting wet
- any kind of wildlife book or guide to help with identifying the creatures you’ve spotted. Alternatively, if you can access the internet, you’ll find some brilliant resources online.
Don’t forget your sunscreen – and a hat if the sun is strong.
Check the tide times:
Before you set off, be sure to check the tide times. The best time to do a seashore safari is on a low tide. And make sure you know what time the tide is coming back in so you don’t get stranded.
Remember the Coastal Code:
Always keep the Bird Aware Coastal Code in mind when you’re out and about on the beach: look out for birds, move further away if they become alert, keep dogs alongside and follow requests on signs.
Taking care
In the video, Ranger Karima reminds us that we must always be super gentle with marine creatures. Once we’ve enjoyed taking a close look, we should return them to their natural habitat – gently – as soon as we can.
There’s often exciting finds to be seen under rocks, but, as Karima says, we must always be very careful not to crush anything and to make sure we put the rocks back in place with great care afterwards.
