A special evening at Living Coasts will take you on a deep dive into the natural wonders of Tor Bay.
Beneath the Bay is an after-hours event featuring top naturalists, wildlife displays and an exclusive insight into the hidden treasure of the Bay – seagrass.
Wild Planet Trust UK Conservation Officer Dr Tracey Hamston said: “It’s going to be a fascinating social gathering for everyone interested in natural history, marine conservation and diving in the Bay.”
Clare Rugg, Curator of Torquay’s coastal zoo, added: “Seagrass forms dense underwater meadows in the shallows of our Bay. Like coral reefs and rainforests, these underwater gardens are full of life. And like those better-known habitats, they are under threat.”
Living Coasts is involved in seagrass conservation locally, as well as efforts to clean Torbay’s beaches.
Devon-based marine biologist and underwater photographer Paul Naylor wrote Great British Marine Animals, the acclaimed guide to identifying wildlife around the UK coastline. His talk is called ‘Marine Meadow Movie Stars; the amazing animals of our seagrass beds’.
Paul: “From spectacular cuttlefish to versatile crabs, the animals that live in our seagrass beds, and in the undersea plains and reefs nearby, are colourful in both the visual sense and in their fascinating behaviour. I’ll use underwater photographs and video to give an insight into their intriguing lives.”
Duncan Kenny, from the Torbay Seal Project, will talk on the often problematic relationship between humans and seals. Duncan explained: “This is as much about understanding people as it is about understanding grey seals. We need to protect grey seals and manage the relationship between the fishers, visitors, residents and seals.”
Torbay Cleaner Coasts Initiative will also be on hand. The project partners work to remove litter from the local marine environment by organising dives and coastal cleans in and around Torbay.
In addition, there will be displays of artwork by local artist Christine Saunders: “My mixed media work includes recycled and re-purposed items found on local beaches and along the coastline of Torbay and beyond. Each piece is a unique combination of natural and manmade flotsam and jetsam”
Tickets are £5.00 per person and are available through the Living Coasts website, www.livingcoasts.org.uk . Booking is essential.
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