Press Release

Press Release Archive: Monday 26 July 2010

Discover what's living in Lincolnshire's Living Seas: No. 1

As thousands of us head to the beach over the summer holidays, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reveals some fascinating tales of the animals that live in our seas.

Every week, over the summer, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is focusing on a marine species and providing an activity idea to keep your children, grand-children, nieces or nephews entertained. First in the series is an animal that’s able to move using jet propulsion, disappear in a cloud of ink or blend perfectly with its surroundings: there is much more to the common octopus than an ability to predict football results. Found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world’s seas, including the North Sea off the Lincolnshire coast, the common octopus is considered amongst the most intelligent of all invertebrate animals. Being without a backbone aids the octopus if it needs to escape from predators - it is able to squeeze its soft body through a hole not much bigger than its eye. This is just one in a myriad of ways in which the octopus can thwart potential predators. Octopuses are good swimmers; they can also more very rapidly using jet propulsion: taking water into their body cavity and expelling it through a funnel giving them speeds of 25 miles per hour over short distances. They can mask themselves with a cloud of ink released into the water; and the ink also contains a substance that dulls a predator’s sense of smell making it harder to follow the octopus. They are able to change their skin to match not only the colour and pattern of their surroundings but also the texture; perfectly camouflaging themselves and disappearing from view. If this all fails and a predator manages to grab hold of an arm, the octopus can lose one arm and grow a replacement later. The common octopus is just one of over 40,000 species of animals and plants that live in the UK’s seas. The Wildlife Trusts have a vision of Living Seas, in which wildlife thrives from the depths of the ocean to the coastal shallows. To find out more, visit our Living Seas webpages. Things to do:   Make your own octopus Download the instructions to make your own cute octopus from a cardboard tube. Make_an_octopus.pdf   Join one of our events – this summer at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve we have a host of events to help you discover more about the marine environment. Don’t miss our marine extravaganza with lots of free activities: Wonders of the Wash from 11am until 5pm on Sunday 15 August at Gibraltar Point.

Notes to Editors

1. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and wild places throughout the historic county of Lincolnshire – from the Humber to the Wash. The Trust is Lincolnshire’s leading nature conservation charity with over 25,000 members and around 100 nature reserves. The Trust is a member of a nationwide network of 47 local trusts which work to protect wildlife - The Wildlife Trusts. www.lincstrust.org.uk
   
   
2. The Wildlife Trusts. There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. We are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone.  With nearly 800,000 members, we are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the full range of the UK’s habitats and species, whether they be in the countryside, in cities or at sea. 135,000 of our members belong to our junior branch, Wildlife Watch.  We manage 2,256 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares; we stand up for wildlife; we inspire people about the natural world and we foster sustainable living. Visit www.wildlifetrusts.org
   

For further information please contact

Rachel Shaw, Public Relations Officer
Tel: 01507 526667   (ansaphone out of office hours)
Fax: 01507 525732
Email: Rachel Shaw

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Banovallum House
Manor House Street
Horncastle
Lincolnshire LN9 5HF

Website: www.lincstrust.org.uk