Animals of the EstuaryIngyu Grade 6A

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IntroductionA brief introduction on estuaries

Welcome to Estuaries!

An estuary is a partly enclosed body of water where fresh water coming down the rivers meets with salt water from the sea.

Estuaries are fascinating places. They are the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Therefore, they have tons and tons of wildlife such as breeding fishes, birds (some migratory), and many reptiles and mammals.

The estuaries are home to lots of animals, especially fish, because they come to lay eggs. It is also home to many more types of birds, mammals, and plants as well.

Do Estuaries last Forever?Estuaries are temporary landforms and don’t last

very long. Rivers carry sediment eroded from the land into them, and tides bring in sand from the sea floor. If there are more sediments coming in than flushing out, eventually an estuary will age and die. In fact, it fills up with so much sediment that it turns into dry land.

Now, since you have at least an idea about what an estuary is, let’s explore the wildlife around here.

Animals of the Estuary

Fish and Marine LifeCatfish, sheepshead, silver perch and grouper also live in

estuaries. Spiny lobsters, shrimps, crabs, oysters and clams claim the estuaries as well. The estuary supports

lots of fish due to having both the salt water (of the ocean) and the flow of fresh water (from the river).

Estuaries are often called the nurseries of the ocean. Many fish species lay their eggs in estuaries. The abundant plant life in estuaries provides a safe place for young fish to live.    

Did you know?

Fish

Cherry Salmon (台灣馬蘇大麻哈魚(櫻花吻鮭 ) )

The Cherry Salmon is a member of the Salmon family. The Cherry salmon is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

The cherry salmon has an average length of around 20 inches.

In the sea, the cherry salmon feeds on crustaceans, less often on young fish..

Catfish

Click icon to add pictureCatfish are abundant in the world. In fact, one out four freshwater fish (25%) and one out of ten of the world’s fish (10%) are catfish.

One catfish can lay up to 4,000 eggs a year .

Raised Catfish are mostly raised in fresh water ponds only about 4 – 6 feet deep. Farm raised catfish are taught to eat food pellets that float on top of the water.  Wild Catfish eat from river bottoms and other food.

Bay Pipefish

Pipefish are common in eelgrass of bays and estuaries, and are sometimes found in shallow offshore waters. Pipefish feed on crustaceans. Females are larger than males.

Flounders

Flounders (alternative name Fluke) are ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is located off the Canadian and U.S. east coast of the Northern Atlantic, and the Pacific Ocean. They thrive in coastal lagoons and estuaries. They can camouflage.

Crabs

Dungeness Crab

Dungeness Crabs are delicious. In fact, they are considered the best tasting seafood.

They live in the eelgrass beds and the bottom of the water. They are found living in North America, mostly along the west coast.

The Dungeness Crab often can blend into its surroundings very well. So well that they are undetected. They often stick their heads into the sand when they feel there is some type of danger around them.

They also can bury their entire bodies in the sand if there is enough time.

Hermit Crab

Hermit Crabs are nocturnal, which means they are not active in the daytime. They mostly move in the nighttime.

Hermit Crabs have many natural predators. It is thought that therefore Hermit Crabs hide among other animals such as sea anemones for protection. Their predators include sharks, squid, big fish, cuttlefish, and octopuses.

Although they have a snail – like appearance, Hermit Crabs are relatives of crabs. However, they are not considered true crabs.

The Hermit Crab always has an outer shell to help protect its soft inside body (or shall I say, under body). What is interesting is that the shell they are wearing had belonged to another animals. Hermit Crabs continuously search for bigger shells to fit their bodies.

See the different shells?

Hermit Crab FactsKingdom: Animalia Phylum: A rthropoda Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda Family: Paguroidea Common Name: Hermit Crab Scientific Name: Paguroidea Found: Worldwide Diet: Omnivore Size:2-10cm (0.8-4in) Weight:200-500g (7-18oz) Number of Species:500 Average Lifespan:1-10 years Conservation Status: Threatened Color: Green, Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, White Skin Type: Shell Favorite Food: Fish Habitat: Coastal waters Main Prey: Fish, Worms, Plankton Predators: Bigger Fish, Sharks, Cuttlefish Special Features: Long body shape and lives in protective shell

Hermit CrabFact file

COPIED FROM SOURCE: HTTP://A-Z-ANIMALS.COM/ANIMALS/HERMIT-

CRAB/

Purple Shore Crab

The shell is smooth and usually purple, but sometimes greenish yellow or reddish brown.

Purple Shore Crabs are very common and are a likely sight when you flip over a rock at the beach.

The Purple Shore Crab is very sensitive, so when its hiding rock is turned over, it will scurry away immediately.

They are similar to Green Shore Crabs but they are bigger and mostly they have large red or purple spots on their pincers.

Other Marine Animals

Nautilus

Nautilus Pompilius (shown in the pictures) are the largest and most common of about six species known to exist. Like the coelacanth, it has remained unchanged for over 400 million years. During prehistoric times, there were about 10,000 different species of nautilus, but only a small handful are known to survive today. The size of Chambered Nautiluses range from 10 to 8 inches and they live in the Pacific & Indian Ocean..You would have to dive down about 18000 feet to find these wonderful animals.

Birds

American Wigeon

American Wigeons live in shallow freshwater wetlands, including ponds, marshes, and rivers.

The American Wigeon breeds in northwestern North America and is found throughout the rest of the continent in migration and in winter. 

Their diet includes aquatic plants, with some insects and mollusks eaten during the breeding season.

Green Heron

Green Herons are opportunistic feeders, but they mostly prefer fish. Crayfish and other crustaceans are a regular source of food. They also hunt for aquatic insects, grasshoppers, frogs, rodents and snakes.

The way Green Herons catch their meal (fish) is very interesting. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted. It uses a variety of baits and lures, including crusts of bread, insects, earthworms, twigs, or feathers.

American Coot

American Coots are noisy members of the rail family and they are they are medium-sized diving birds with a white bill, yellow legs, and lobed toes.  American Coots are opportunistic and hungry feeders - they eat what they can find. Coots mainly eat plants, but they will also feed on insects, fish, tadpoles, snails, worms, and eggs of other birds.

Great Blue Heron

The great blue heron is an interesting bird. This heron is the largest heron or egret in North America and the biggest bird in most swampy areas. The great blue heron lives many places on Earth. It stands three to four feet tall and has a wingspan of almost six feet. It is also the largest heron in Canada.

Canada Goose

In some places, the highly adaptable Canada goose is so successful and numerous that people consider them a disturbance. One reason: They can produce a LOT of poop. Just 50 Canada geese can generate more than two tons of manure in one year! The birds' waste can cause poor water quality where they live.

These geese also eat a lot, which could harm local farm crops or cause a not balanced food chain.

Mammals

Otters

Asian Small – Clawed Otter

Asian small-clawed otters are threatened in the wild by habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution. In the wild, they live in the rivers, creeks, estuaries and coastal waters of Southeast Asia, from northern India to southeastern China, the Malay Peninsula and parts of Indonesia.

River Otter

River Otters are mammals that are relatives of the stoats, weasels, mink, badgers and wolverines. River Otters are carnivorous. They eat a variety of animals, including fish, crustaceans, amphibians, snakes, water insects, snails, worms, small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, turtles, and any aquatic invertebrates. Rivers otters are generally solitary, except for females with their young, and do not associate except during the mating season.

Sea Otter

The Sea Otter is the largest of all otters and is a marine otter. It spends lots of time in the water.

It was once extensively hunted for its warm coat a long time ago. Currently, they are listed as EN (endangered), facing a rick of extinction in the wild.

Seals

Northern Fur Seal

The main diet of the Northern Fur Seal consists of lantern fish or herring. However, when food is scarce, other food can be eaten.

The seals must be careful in both land and water however, as they are preyed upon by sharks, orcas, Steller Sea Lions and even Arctic Foxes.

Miditerranean Monk Seal

The Mediterranean Monk Seal is one of the Phocidae family.

There are only 400 to 450 individuals of these seals known to exist today.

This is one of the most endangered species out of all mammals. Now, it is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, in some estuaries and rivers of the world, and also near the Tropic of Cancer.

Harbor Seal

Harbor seals are curious but shy animals that prefer quiet, unpopulated areas. At the slightest sign of danger they will slip back into the water and swim away.

They are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Baltic and North Seas, making them the most wide – ranged pinnipeds (walruses and seals).

Hawaiian Monk Seal

The Hawaiian Monk Seal lives in the warm waters of the North-western part of the Hawaiian islands. It got its name because its head with the small hairs looks like the head of a typical monk. Also, the Hawaiian Monk Seal lives a solitary life (like monks) when compared to other seals.

They can stay under water for 20 minutes without coming to the surface at a depth of 600 feet.

The Hawaiian Monk Seal is one of the endangered species of seals. With the Mediterranean Monk Seal they struggle for survival to prevent extinction like the Caribbean Monk Seal, which became extinct in the 1950s.

Sea Lions

California Sea Lion

- California Sea Lions are friendly animals often seen doing a variety of tricks in zoos, amusement parks, etc.

- The California Sea lion is the most intelligent sea lion in the world. California sea lions are often used by the U.S. Navy to help tasks that need to be completed underwater.

-California Sea Lions are carnivorous. They are not very picky eaters, though. They like to eat large amounts each day.

-- hen fully grown, the males can be about 1,000 pounds while females will only be about 350 pounds. For the length, the average for males is 7 feet and the average for females is 6 feet.

Hooker’s Sea Lion (or New Zealand Sea Lion)

The New Zealand Sea Lion The New Zealand sea lion or Hooker’s sea lion is a protected marine mammal. It is listed as VU (vulnerable) and is considered to have a high risk of extinction in the wild.

The New Zealand Sea Lion has many different namings. The females are called 'cow' and males are called bulls. A New Zealand Sea Lion group is called a pod, colony, crash, flock, harem, bob, herd, rookery, or team.

The New Zealand Sea Lion is only found in New Zealand and is one of the rarest seal species.

Conclusion

This is the end of my presentation on animals of the estuaries. And most important, please do not consider this slideshow as a full list. The animals on this slideshow are only a very small portion of all the wonderful animals in this biome. I hope you have learned something from this presentation.

- From the creator of this slideshow -

Thanks for Watching / Reading!

Bye till next time!