All parks are shared spaces, so encourage others around you to respect our wildlife and clear our trash.Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints.

Do not remove animals from their homes as they are unlikely to survive for long. Do photograph animalsin their natural habitats as this is less stressful for them.

Watch where you step to avoid trampling on any animals. There may also be sharp rocks, animals withspines, and other dangers that could cause injury.

Do not touch anything unfamiliar as some animals can bite, pinch, or sting to defend themselves.

Do not handle animals unless trained to do so. Avoid using tools like tongs or chopsticks to pick theanimal up.

During guided walks, trained guides may bring animals that are relatively safe to touch. Handle them gently asthey may be brittle, and avoid passing them around or dropping them which could cause them stress.

04

02

Stone fish are one of the mostvenomous fish in the sea. They aremasters of camouflage and extraprecaution is required to avoid them inthe intertidal area. When stepped on,some stone fish possess spines thatwill inject a painful venom and cansometimes be fatal.

Stone Fish

Cone snails come in a wide variety ofsizes and beautiful shell patterns.However, don’t let its appealingappearance fool you as they candeliver dangerous venom in aharpoon-like manner. Their stingshave been known to be fatal tohumans and these creatures shouldnever be touched.

Cone SnailSea hares may look like alien blobsbut they are actually sea slugs! Theyhave two rabbit-like tentacles whichprovide them with a keen sense ofsmell. Touching them causes extremestress, and sea hares will expel apurple, sticky slime as a defensemechanism.

03Fan clams have thin, oval-shaped shellsand can usually be found buried in thesand. The top, broader part of the shellthat is exposed is razor sharp andpeople walking barefooted on the shorescan unknowingly get serious cuts ontheir legs. Be careful where you step andalways be in proper footwear to preventinjuries!

Fan Clam

Sea Hare 01

Sand Dollar 05Sand dollars appear flat and lifeless, butthey are animals that are closely relatedto sea urchins. They resemble dollarcoins, hence their name! Their bodiesare stiffened with spines which helpthem to move. Do take note of whereyou step as they can be really fragile!

Anemones may look very similarto flowers, but they are actuallypredatory marine animals. Theymake use of their tentacles withvenomous stinging cells calledcnidocytes to immobilise theirprey. Be careful not to touchthem as their tentacles maystick to your skin and irritate it.

Anemone 06

Hairy Sea Hare

Hollow-cheeked Stone Fish

Cake Sand Dollar

Swimming Anemone

Haddon's Carpet Anemone

Intertidal Etiquette

Textile Cone Snail

Fan Clam

Sea cucumbers are soft and sensitive,but they are known for having a strongdefensive mechanism. They can vomitout their internal organs, and becomevery sick. Some species like the PinkWarty Sea Cucumber and the SeaApple Sea Cucumber also expel toxicsubstances when stressed.

Sea Cucumber 08Sea stars are intricate animals with thintissue around their feet to help thembreathe in the water. Do not lift the seastars out of the water for long periods oftime as they will suffocate, and becareful as our touch can easily harmtheir fragile structures.

Sea Star 07

09Sea urchins are the porcupines of thesea. Usually ball-shaped and coveredwith spines, these small creatures cancause great pain if you accidentallytouch or step on them. Their spines aresharp enough to puncture your skin, andcan break off and be embedded insideyour body.

Sea Urchin

There exists thousands of species of crabs,making them an incredibly diverse group ofanimals. Small crabs only grow to about 3cm in body width, and it can be fun to watchthem scurry around. Larger crabs, on theother hand, may exhibit aggression anddeliver a painful pinch if you go too close tothem. Certain crabs such as the MosaicReef and Red Egg Crabs are toxic, as theirdiets include saponin-producing seacucumbers, and would prove fatal tohumans if consumed.

Crab10

Horseshoe Crab 11Horseshoe crabs are ancientarthropods and their name is derivedfrom the horseshoe shape of theircarapace. The horseshoe crab’s tail,also known as the telson, may lookscary but it is actually harmless. If youcome across one that is upside downand struggling to flip itself over, give it ahelping hand! Hermit crabs are not true crabs as they

do not grow their own shells. Instead,they protect themselves using emptyshells of other animals like snails. Asthey grow bigger, they will discard theircurrent shells in search of larger ones. Itis important that we do not collect shellson the shore as they might be potentialhomes for the hermit crabs.

Hermit Crab 12

13Sea jellies are translucent andoccasionally hard to spot, but they maybe found in the intertidal area whenstuck in pools or on the shore. While wemay be tempted to save them, touchingthem may hurt you (and possibly befatal) as their stingers remain activeeven after they’re dead. This is whyputting on covered shoes and long pantsis strongly advised when moving aboutin the intertidal zone!

Sea Jelly

14Fireworms are one of the most distinctivetypes of marine bristle worms, due to theirelaborate and colourful bristles. However,the bristles are very sharp and filled withtoxins. When stressed, the bristles breakoff into the skin, causing intense pain andburning. Do not touch these worms andwear long pants and covered shoes toprotect yourselves.

Fireworm

Biscuit Sea Star

Pink Warty Sea Cucumber

Sea Apple Sea Cucumber

White Salmacis Sea Urchin

Leaf Porter Crab

Stone Crab

Coastal Horseshoe Crab

Orange-striped Hermit Crab

Golden Fireworm

Mangrove Jellyfish