SEALIFE Blackpool urges families to search the coast in special Easter Eggshell Hunt

The Great Eggcase Hunt urges families to scour the Fylde coastline in search of ‘mermaid purses.’

In exchange for finding the purses, SEALIFE Blackpool are offering free trail cards to those looking to taking part in a hunt.

‘Mermaid purses’ are shark and ray egg cases that are left behind by new-borns as they hatch in the waters off our coasts, and are renowned for being washed up on the beach at this time of the year and as the warmer weather approaches. The eggs are laid at sea and the cases can stick themselves to rocks and survive for up to 12 months, depending upon the species of ray.

SEALIFE Blackpool have collaborated with The Shark Trust in this initiative, which has been running for almost 20 years and poses the perfect opportunity for families to get out and learn about our coastlines this Easter break, while making a positive impact on local wildlife.

Explorers taking part are encouraged to take photographs, note the location, date and time, and check tide times to keep safe. This information can then be uploaded to The Shark Trust website enabling experts to analyse trends and breeding across coastlines and look at how the Fylde coast compares to the rest of the UK.

Katie Seddon, Aquarist at SEALIFE, said: “Following an increase in eggs found on the Fylde coastline, it’s important to keep track of the ray population and The Great Eggcase Hunt is an educational way for mini explorers to do just that.”

For more information about The Great Eggcase Hunt, visit: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt