their shells at low . tide. low at shells their

• Take your rubbish home with you. with home rubbish your Take •

operculum, which seals water inside inside water seals which operculum,

they have their own trapdoor, or or trapdoor, own their have they

creatures that simply got caught out. caught got simply that creatures and dislodge delicate creatures. creatures. delicate dislodge and

rockpools up the shore. This is because because is This shore. the up rockpools nd true ocean-going ocean-going true nd fi may you lowest

– they’re slippery, and it’s easy to crush crush to easy it’s and slippery, they’re –

Eyemouth Beach

Periwinkles can survive in the highest highest the in survive can Periwinkles

In the very last pools to be exposed at the the at exposed be to pools last very the In Take care when walking on the rocks rocks the on walking when care Take •

few home. home. few

only take a a take only

are empty and and empty are

Check seashells seashells Check

you found them. them. found you

seaweed as as seaweed

they support. they

rocks and and rocks

marine wildlife wildlife marine

• Replace animals, animals, Replace •

because of the special special the of because

ever Reserve Marine ever

them.

rst rst fi ’s declared

or squeezing soft-bodied animals can kill kill can animals soft-bodied squeezing or

These waters were were waters These

• Handle rock pool creatures gently – poking poking – gently creatures pool rock Handle •

their tentacles to help keep moisture in. moisture keep help to tentacles their

When exploring... When of water for long. At low tide, they retract retract they tide, low At long. for water of space is fi erce. fi is space

because they can’t cope with being out out being with cope can’t they because in a greater variety of life. But competition for food and and food for competition But life. of variety greater a in

Dahlia anemones live on the lower shore shore lower the on live anemones Dahlia of the time. Here, conditions are more stable, resulting resulting stable, more are conditions Here, time. the of

Further down, rockpools are isolated from the sea for less less for sea the from isolated are rockpools down, Further edges.

• Don’t go alone and keep back from cliff cliff from back keep and alone go Don’t •

– such as the periwinkle – hang out. out. hang – periwinkle the as such –

stressful conditions that the seashore’s real tough nuts nuts tough real seashore’s the that conditions stressful or shoes you don’t mind getting wet. wet. getting mind don’t you shoes or

the air for longer when the tide is out. It is in these dry, dry, these in is It out. is tide the when longer for air the net and bucket can be useful. Wear wellies, wellies, Wear useful. be can bucket and net

Creatures living higher up the shore are exposed to to exposed are shore the up higher living Creatures You don’t need special equipment but a a but equipment special need don’t You •

weren’t covered by water once a day. day. a once water by covered weren’t more time to explore, and you’ll be safer. safer. be you’ll and explore, to time more rockpools in the area. the in rockpools

of the water, or tides. Many creatures would die if they they if die would creatures Many tides. or water, the of tide is still going out. That way you’ll have have you’ll way That out. going still is tide how to reach the best best the reach to how

All life on the seashore is affected by the rise and fall fall and rise the by affected is seashore the on life All the as better, or tide, low at visit your Plan • you shows map This

Life on the rocky shore rocky the on Life go... you Before Map

With support and fi nancial assistance from & Eyemouth VOLUNTARY MARINE RESERVE

Want to learn more? Come on a ranger-led seashore safari. Visit www.marine-reserve.co.uk for dates The rockpool explorer’s guide or look out for event posters locally.

The Voluntary Marine Reserve is a charity which aims to conserve marine wildlife, raise awareness and promote responsible recreation. We depend on grants and donations to enable us to carry out our work. Our main funders are the Crown Estate, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. A committee made up of local people, statutory bodies and non-government organisations manage the reserve. The National Trust for Scotland is an independent charity with the aim of conserving, managing and promoting Scotland’s cultural and natural heritage. We depend on our members and visitors to enable us to continue our work, both now and in the future. Please support the Trust by becoming a member today As the tide goes out along this rocky coastline and help to protect Scotland’s heritage it reveals submerged worlds, teeming with life. for future generations to enjoy. These natural aquariums allow you to encounter Tel: 0844 493 2100 or 0844 493 2256 (St Abbs) many strange and beautiful creatures hidden The National Trust for Scotland Ranger Service organises below the tide line. events and conservation work throughout Scotland.

Get involved at www.nts.org.uk Andrew Pickersgill, Wood, Karen Collins, Lawson Willis, Stephen Laws, Andrea Cringean, Jack Bateman and Liza Cole JNCC, Steve Gregory, Jason Robert Grieves, Georgia Conolly, Experience these creatures for yourself using this The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is a charity leafl et as a guide. Identify, record and compare registered in Scotland, Charity Number SC 007410 3490 S 5m 08/10 Photographs: for Scotland Learning Services Department Trust the National Designed by them, and share some fascinating facts. Seashore Safari See if you can fi nd the creatures shown here. Look on rock faces, in cracks and crevices, under stones, on and under seaweed, andand in thethe water.water. fi ve Can you fi nd the

most abundant creatures? icking powo er 70 ower 87 StS StS ickingn p dance 90 e 65 Abunu Abundanc 10 Steaalth 30 StS ealth (2 shelllsl ) StS ickiingn alve powwer What is it? A jelly-y-like animam l A blue-bblack biv 15 What is it? AbA undance thhat attaches to roccks know: called 40 Did you tit ny roppes Sttea Did you know: w out threads to ltl h e thheiir preyy Mussels thro eyy use theh 80 Beadleet anemonnes paralys eads. Thh washed n byssusu thr wava e-e wiw thh poisoneed stingig ng cells hiddded WhW at is it? Br anchor themselves to the itain’s common inin theh ir tentacles. d to other mussels. Diid you know eest reefe fi sh StS ic rocks, and : kiingng poow Sticking power 98 Its eyese are c ere 1 looses to the AbA 8 soo it can see top of its head undaanc Abundance prrede attor e 5 above.o s attat cking from St 79 er 100 ealth Sticking pow Steaalth 87 65 Abundance 98 What is it? Ou What is it? A spik ur shs orese y relatiivee of starfish Did yo ’ commm Stealth 45 u know onnest crc Did you know: Thhink : ab you’ve f This small urchhin ha It couo ouo nd a d What is it? A relative of the crabb thah t s a grg eee n shell ldd jusst dead crc and pu fof beb that abb? forms crussts over rocks rplee-tipped sppinness to protecct r its shhel it greew l, andn l tot o bib g iti s soft body. left it beh Did you know: indd. When covered by waateer, barnaclese kick food intoo their mouuths wiwitht their feathery legs.s

St ickingg 20 powere ng power AbA un 10 Stticickik 8 dad nce e 1 St 1 AbAbunu danc ealth 97 100 Stealth ell What is it? crrusts ’ shh ith a ‘ppiee A A crabb w Did you know: fi sh 99 What is it? This hunter is camou king powwer you piickc Stic Did you know: dd’ when its habi Sticking power 8 9 ‘play dea ooko ing for taat. T flag ed to merge with e 9 ey oftenn ede attoro s lo for pr his means it can lie in Sticking Abbundanc ThT s iss so prp m alone. ey without being seen. Abbundaancn e power up. Thih leae vee theh 5 9 45 tht em ala might waw Abun 5 alth h,h live mem it dad nce Stea a fres Steae ltth 92 St 39 eae lth is it? A cone-shaped sea snail What Whhat is it? An eel-like fi sh 0 know: What is it DiD d you – circular marks Did you know: ? A home scars colourfu Look out for Slipppery and diffi cult to catc Did you know: l ene crus ks. Limpets return to the same h, this ting spo on the roc sleender fish slips into crevices Lookin nge between g like a scar each time the tide goes out. rrocks to surfac sece tion shelter from predators. e, thiis amazing an oimf thhale formom ms yell on’ss ow, gree on n annd orange encrustation rocks and in crevices. ns

Stickik ngn power 55 Abbundance 86 Sticking power StS ealth 54 5 Sticking pow Abundance er 9 5 45 Whaat is it? A sea snail withh a Abundance 7 Stealth pointed shell owere 89 ng power 60 St 20 Sticking p Stici kki 43 Diid you knnow: ealth What is it 7 ancnce 53 ? A transparent relative of Thhis carrnivvoorouss snnail’s f avouriitet food 8 Abbunu dda Abundance 78 What the crab iss musselss and baarnacles. is it? A fi 0 ab that ve-armed Stealth DidD you know: se , spiny-ssk Stealth a animal innened d A soft-bodied cr PrawnsP will dart backwards and Did yo ee, brownw seaweed ? u know: What is it? A lal rgg foorwards to avoi Common starfi What is it inhabits empty shells d your net, paddling withw their fan tails. through th sh Did you know: a ei thheir sttom lff to rockks using u know: to diges r small be acchsh Kelp clampps itse Did yo t fo ak-like mo ent it being swept pool, the chances are odd. uuthhss ‘hholdfasa t’ to prev If you see a shell scuttlinging a inlosideng the. asa . awway by rrougu h see bottom of a rock it has a hermit crab liv