When we’re out on a beach clean, we’re looking for litter, but there’s always the chance of finding something unexpected. Among the seaweed and driftwood, we sometimes spot small, dark cases that look a little like tiny purses. These are known as mermaid’s purses, and they’re one of the things we have loved keeping an eye out for since 2019!
Mermaid’s purses are the egg cases of sharks, skates and rays. They’re a fascinating reminder of the marine life living around our coastline, and finding them gives us another reason to look a little closer at the beaches we’re working to protect.
What are mermaid’s purses?
These tough, leathery cases protect developing sharks, skates and rays while they grow. They can vary in shape, colour, and size, from narrow capsules to flatter cases with distinctive horns at each corner. Once the animal has hatched, the empty case can wash up on the beach, where we’re lucky enough to spot it. They can be tricky to identify, particularly when they’ve been battered by the sea, but that’s all part of the fun!
Why do we record our finds?
At Life’s a Beach, our work is about more than removing litter. We want to help people understand our coastline, the problems it faces and the wildlife that depends on it. Citizen science is a great way to do this, and recording mermaid’s purses can help researchers build a better picture of the sharks, skates and rays found around our shores.
Each year, during our biggest beach clean at Northam Burrows in Westward Ho!, we work directly with the Shark Trust to identify and record the egg cases we find. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about our marine wildlife while contributing to research that supports its conservation.
You can read more about our annual Devon beach clean in The UK’s Biggest Annual Beach Clean.
What should you do if you find one?
If you spot a mermaid’s purse, take a photograph and note where you found it. You can use the Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt to help identify it and record your sighting. Most importantly, leave live wildlife undisturbed. If you’re unsure whether an egg case is empty, it’s best to leave it where it is.
Little finds, big differences
We head out to our beach cleans to remove plastic pollution, but we always come away having learnt something new. From unusual litter finds to tiny egg cases hidden among the seaweed, there’s so much to discover on our coastline. These little discoveries remind us why our work matters. By keeping our beaches clean, recording what we find and encouraging others to take an interest in their local environment, we can all play a part in protecting our coastline.
Fancy joining us? Find out more by emailing us at hello@lifesabeach.org and help us make a difference, one beach at a time.
