|
Baby sharks, skates and rays of course!
 There are over ten species of skate and ray, and a few species of shark in UK waters that reproduce by laying tough, leathery eggcases on the seabed. Each eggcase contains one embryo which will develop over several months into a miniature skate, ray or shark.
Each species lays eggcases in different shapes and sizes which remain safely on the seabed until the juvenile has hatched. Once empty, the eggcases are often washed up on beaches and can be found amongst the seaweed in the strandline.
 The distribution of different shark, skate and ray species is changing and a number of species are in decline. By taking part in the Great Eggcase Hunt you are helping the Shark Trust to identify areas of the coast where eggcases regularly wash up.
Eggcases may indicate that nursery grounds are nearby. The Trust believes that identifying these grounds can assist in the conservation of sharks, skates and rays.
Your eggcase records are a crucial element of this conservation work.
It’s so easy to take part - Everything you need for a successful eggcase hunt is in this website!
Eggcases can be found on the beach all year round, so whatever the time of year keep your eyes open. The strandline or the back of the beach are the best place to find eggcases, washed up amongst the flotsam and jetsam. If you are a regular beachgoer why not record your finds each month and tell us how the diversity of eggcases change over a year?
And there’s lots to find...
There are many types of eggcases to find and so if you can’t decide what your eggcase is, take a look at the identification section of this website for more detailed descriptions. Alternatively send us a photo, or the eggcase itself, and we will try to identify it for you!
Not only are we interested in where you do find eggcases, but also where you don’t! Some beaches are cleaned by local councils and any eggcases would have been removed along with the seaweed, whilst other beaches simply don’t have any. Reports of beaches without eggcases adds an important dimension to our knowledge of eggcase distribution.
 Results from the Great Eggcase Hunt have given us a pretty good understanding of where eggcases wash up around our coastline. Now it is time to link the beach records with actual nursery grounds on the seabed. We are asking divers to keep their eyes open for eggcases in situ on the seabed. Remember to take only photographs as the eggcases are likely to still have developing embryos inside!
|
