An Easter hunt of a different kind

Sure, Easter’s coming up, but how would you like to get involved in a different kind of egg hunt? It may not be as tasty as searching for chocolate eggs, but you’ll be helping to protect some fabulous animals.

You might know them as ‘mermaid purses’ and finding a shark (or skate or ray) egg case is always an exciting find. The Shark Trust has worked with the CSIRO to help you do a little home-grown citizen science and have come up with some handy guides on how to identify any shark eggs you might find during your beach wanders.

Shark egg cases can be washed ashore at any time of year. Often they’re caught up in the large drifts of seaweed that are washed up after a storm. While some egg cases are smooth, others are more complex with tendrils or spirals and range from 4-25 centimetres.

Most of them are a brownish colour which can make them really hard to find amongst the seaweed – bad for us, great for the shark embryo. But if you do find one, what do you do next?

Well, thanks to UK-based charity Shark Trust, you can now play an important role in helping researchers learn more about the animals living along our coast.

CSIRO biologist Helen O’Neill said, “Egg cases are important for understanding the basic biology of oviparous [egg-laying] Chondrichthyans, as well as revealing valuable information such as where different species live and where their nurseries are located.”

By downloading the Shark Trust app, you can identify your find and upload any photos and details of where it was located and in so doing, help scientists protect these beautiful animals.

To see what eggs you might find along our coast, head here.