Thursday 14 February 2008

Hermit Crabs

On the 10th of February, I went to Kuantan. My parents brought me to Telok Cempedak, a popular beach in Kuantan, West Malaysia. I saw many hermit crabs and remembered the facts I learned about them in my science text. I would like to share them with you.

1. Hermit crabs are decapods. Decapods are crustaceans with 10 legs, which means some crustaceans don't have 10 legs.

2. Hermit crabs don't make their own shell. Uncle Joe told me that they are good recylers of shells!

3. There are 500 types of hermit crabs.

4. Hermit crabs are omnivores. That means they eat meat and vegetables.

5. There are 2 types of hermit crabs: marine hermit crabs (those you will find in the sea) and land hermit crabs (those that you find on beaches and small island jungles, but will drown in the sea).

6. Land baby hermit crabs have gills but adult hermit crabs do not. They start out with gills and end up with lungs.


We caught more than 20 hermit crabs to study them. Before we went home, we set all of them free.

Do not take hermit crabs home with you! They will DIE! They are best left in their natural habitat for all to enjoy!!! Hermit crabs are scavengers and they help clean up the beach. If you catch them, put them back after you have studied them...or just leave them alone!!!

We also found many glass pieces in the sea and along the beach. Please DO NOT THROW GLASS IN THE SEA!!!! OR ANY GARGABE. It is toxic to the sea and will kill the beautiful creatures in the sea. For your information, turtles and dolphins that accidentally eat plastic or garbage bags thrown into the sea, will CHOKE AND DIE!! >>

Update

I am Vere and I love marine creatures.

Last month, Uncle Joe Lai (he has a cool website about nature too!) organised a blogging workshop for the homeschoolers. I want to help save the sea by educating people about the ocean life. This year is also the International Year of the Coral Reefs. I hope that the people that has seen my blog will do something to help preserve the ocean.

My blog used to be at http://hermits1stpost.blogspot.com. I have created a new one which is http://naturalsea.blogspot.com. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Cheers!!