Fin-tastic Activities
Discover Hermit Crabs
In the sandy tide pools located in tropical climates lives a soft-bodied species encased in shells. The creatures in question are hermit crabs. Hermit crabs require shells to protect themselves. They have adapted hook-shaped tails and strong legs to keep inside the shells which were designed and created by other sea creatures. When the hermit crab outgrows the shell that it has inhabited since its last molt, they will try to find a new one, or if the timing is right, they will line up on the beach with other increasingly larger hermit crabs and make a quick trade. One of the greatest threats to these little crabs is a lack of suitable shells. Each shell that tourists take home from the beach means one less for potential hermit crab habitation.
More Ways to Explore
Learn more about tide pools and the creatures that call them home at the Ocean Conservancy Webpage.
*External links are provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement by LLPA nor is LLPA responsible for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site.