Creatures of the coast

The 'Blackwater Beast' may have been a hoax, but you'd be a fool to think our waters are empty! Find out what really swims off our shores, creeps along our coastline and dive into the magic of the marine world with us...

Happy April Fool's Day, wildlife lovers!

We hope you can forgive us! There may not be a 'Blackwater Beast' lurking in the depths of Essex’s estuaries, but don’t be mistaken – the wildlife that lives within the watery world of our landscape is far from boring. Essex has the second longest coastline of all the counties, and this means that fish, cephalopods, rays, sponges, sea plants, crustaceans and sea birds call our coast their home. There is much excitement about the creatures of the deep sea, but what do we know about the creatures of the shallows?

What lives in our waters?

Illustration of Essex's marine life — **List of species:**

1. Little tern, 2. Common seal, 3. European bass, 4. Moon jellyfish, 5. European flounder, 6. Bladder wrack, 7. Small spotted catfish, 8. Common cuttlefish, 9. Dwarf eelgrass, 10. Beadlet anemone, 11. Common starfish, 12. Native oyster, 13. Common shore crab, 14. Sea hare

The velvet swimming crab pictured here with pincers at the ready! This nipper has quite a few common names, also known as the devil crab, fighter crab or lady crab. But why velvet? The furry hairs covering its back give this creature a velvety texture. As the largest member of the swimming crab family, this species has paddle-shaped hind legs which help it propel through our waters. Notice the striking midnight blue claws contrasting with the deep-red eyes (where the ‘devil’ title comes from). Devil or not, it certainly isn’t dull! Most likely, you won't find this crab walking amongst the shingle of Essex as it prefers to swim, but crabs that are often spotted include the edible shore crab and common shore crab!

The bloody Henry starfish sounds like it belongs to the Tudor period. In fact, the name comes from its deep-red colouration and ‘blood-like’ markings, as if it has been splattered with blood after a deathly meal. But do not fear: this carnivorous-looking sea star feeds mainly off plankton! Check rock pools closely for starfish, you might be lucky to spot one. The common starfish and common brittlestar are ones to watch!

If you peer into the waters of an Essex estuary, what do you imagine lies beneath? One creature that ripples along the muddy bottom of our shallow water is the European flounder. The flounder is fantastically adapted for life in the ‘flat’ lane. With the ability to camouflage, its mottled red and brown splodges can adapt to hide this fish from looming predators. Flounders’ eyes are exceptional – not only do they move independently from each other, but they can move entirely! When born, flounders appear to be more rounded and fish-like, with an eye on each side. As they grow, they spend more time on their side. This causes the underside eye to move across to the other side, like this picture demonstrates.

sea hare in seagrass — Sea hare in eel-grass, Paul Naylor

A little sea hare doesn’t hop but flops around the shallows. What appears to be bunny-like ears is actually a pair of sensory tentacles that help it to taste and smell. Often, it is easy to mistake a sea hare for a sea slug because of their shapeless, globule body. However, they are sea snails that possess an internal shell. Out of the water, their shape softens and they appear just like seaweed. The saying ‘you are what you eat’ is true for these slimy creepers. It is thought that their colour is determined by their diet. Whether munching on brown seaweed or green, we can always tell.

The marine world is more familiar than we think...

Even though we can't always see Essex's marine life, what lives under the waves of our local coast isn't that different from the species we see on land. There are many comparisons to be made between our land animals and those that live underwater. Watch our video to see what we mean...

Why should we care about our marine life?

More than half of the carbon produced is stored in seabed sediments by marine plants in saltmarshes, seagrasses, seaweeds and phytoplankton.
Every year, over 7 million seabirds breed around the UK’s coast, while millions more waders, divers and seaducks spend the winter in and around our coasts and estuaries.
The ocean produces more oxygen than the rainforests.
Rainforests produce roughly 28% of oxygen, whereas oceans are responsible for 70%.

This means that for every 10 breaths we take, 7 of those have come from the ocean. We, literally, can't live without it.