5 Beach Animals You Can Find on and in Beach Sand

When people head to the beach, they normally do so to enjoy the sun, perhaps play in the sand, and swim in the waters.

Children often go hunting for crabs and shells, but rarely do people think about what other creatures may be lurking nearby or even underneath the surface.

One of the things you could enjoy doing at the beach next time you visit is to try and spot some of the more interesting beach animals. There are some beach animals and crustaceans that are common such as barnacles and mussels, then there are the more unusual and rarer species. 

Do beaches really have unusual animals living in or on them?

To the naked eye, a beach could look empty and devoid of life, but the environment is ripe for a huge amount of wildlife.

When searching dunes and grassy areas near beaches for meadows wildlife you will find interesting flora and fauna, not to mention butterflies and beach animals. In the right environment, you may also find lizards and sand snakes during your exploration.

Some beach animals that appear on shores are very rare and specific to certain regions, while others are more common yet still unusual compared to other animals.

Five species that call the beach and oceans their home

Isopods

Earlier this year, in September, Live Science reported about some of the strangest sea creatures that have found their way onto beaches around the world. These included giant squid, hairy sea monsters, and even anglerfish that normally only lurk in the deepest reaches of the ocean.

However, you don’t need to wait for a rare giant squid to wash up to see interesting wildlife. Beach animals are common and can be found in shallow and deep waters, as well as on the beach.

There are around 10,000 different species of isopods and although they are closely related to shrimp, they look more like woodlice than sea-going creatures.

Although many isopods are tiny, they can grow up to half a meter in length. Not something you want to see emerging from the sand. Fortunately, the giant versions live on the ocean floor so you can safely sun-tan. 

Sand dollars

The chances are you have already seen sand dollars on a beach somewhere, but highly unlikely they were still alive.

Once sand dollars wash up on a beach they will only have minutes to live if they don’t return to the waters. Dead sand dollars are normally white from being bleached by the sun. However, when alive in their normal habitat they look quite different.

Sand dollars are normally purple and hairy. They chew their food for up to a quarter of an hour before swallowing, and they can take up to two days to digest their meals. Strangely, despite being small, they have very few predators due to them being extremely tough. 

Sea lions

The US shoreline covers over 95,000 miles according to the National Ocean Service, but you won’t need to explore it all to find some sea lions. These creatures inhabit various spots of the US coastline all the way from Canada to Mexico.

These beautiful beach animals have some interesting facts about them. They evolved from land animals that resembled bears, but now they can reach depths of 900 feet and stay underwater for up to 30 minutes.

They are very social beach animals that like to stay close to each other, and unusually they can also work with other sea creatures, such as dolphins, to chase down shoals of fish. One very unusual thing about sea lions is that they have whiskers just like a cat does, and these are used to help them navigate the oceans. 

Starfish

Just like sand dollars, any starfish you spot out of the water is likely to already be dead. However, they can be spotted in shallow water and pools on the beach sometimes.

Never lift a starfish out of the water, regardless of how great you think it will look on Instagram. Due to the beauty of starfish, it is perhaps surprising that they have an unusual and rather sinister way of feeding.

Starfish push their stomachs out of their body to snare prey. Enzymes are released to dissolve the unlucky catch into sludge for easy digestion. What is most frightening for other sea creatures, is that this stomach can be pushed through minuscule cracks in the shells of crustaceans to reach the soft and tasty innards. 

African penguins

These penguins are now on the endangered list which doesn’t make them unusual sadly but does mean they are getting rarer.

Although African penguins can be found in more than one country, there is really only one place they can be spotted up close. For many years now, Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town, South Africa, has been one of the top beach destinations in the world simply because of these amazing seabirds.

They inhabit the rocks and sand of Boulders Beach before taking to the waters to swim and hunt. What is unusual about penguins is that they don’t use their feet to swim like many web-footed birds. They swim with their wings and use their feet to steer. They are also monogamous and mate for life or at least many years. 

Summary

There are some even stranger and more unusual beach-dwelling creatures out there. It is possible to find scorpions and snakes on some beaches, but there are less worrying but unusual looking animals such as mudskippers too.

If you can’t reach South Africa to see the jackass penguins, no matter, because whichever beach you can visit will be sure to have something unusual living nearby.

Whatever, you may not have the opportunity to go to South Africa or other places to see beach animals, but you can definitely see them at enamelpins.com. How to achieve it? It’s very simple!

You just need to submit your favourite animal images to their design system, and their designer will turn the image into a cute animal enamel pin with exquisite craftsmanship. You can not only use them to decorate your items such as clothing, bags, hats, and more but also can be used to raise people’s awareness of caring for animals, thereby protecting animals.

Animal enamel pins are a very innovative way to protect animals, and also the greenest way to care for animals. If you have a favourite beach animal, try making animal enamel pins to transfer your love for them.

Also read:

9 Essential Tips For A Solo Beach Vacation

10 Cleanest Beaches In Southern California

Best Luxurious Beach Resorts in Phuket