Anja Murray: Our wild shorelines are worth visiting - and definitely worth protecting
‘Common shore crabs’ with their dark greenish-brown shell, are often seen scuttling about on beaches, in rocky pools and muddy estuaries, and sheltering under seaweed and stones. Picture: Heritage Council/John Gorman
We are in summer-holiday season, when many of us head to the coast around Ireland to enjoy rambles along sandy shores, carefree clambering over lichen-clad boulders, and exhilarating dips in the salty sea. Wildlife along the coast is distinctly different to elsewhere, as salty sea air and near-constant winds only allow those with special adaptations to survive the unique conditions.
Succulent seaside plants, for example, have special ways to cope with the lack of freshwater, shifting sands and salty winds. Sea holly grows on sand and shingle beaches, readily recognisable by its prickly blue-tinged holly-like leaves. Because water runs so quickly though sand, sea holly has adapted to withstand the drought-like conditions of a sandy beach in the same way that desert plants cope with drought — with thick, waxy leaves that contain their own store of water and don’t dry out easily. Its violet-blue flower balls are on show until the end of August, popular with both bees and hoverflies. Sea campion is another succulent seaside plant still in flower now, its bright white flowers can be seen on shingle and rocky shores until the end of August.
