EUROPEAN SHAG
They are birds. They live in the coast, sea and sea-cliffs. They are 72-80 cm; they have green black bodies, a crest, a tail, and grey, short legs. They eat fish and, occasionally, crustaceans and mollusks. They lay 3 pale blue eggs. The cormorant (bigger than the shag) is a similar species.
The largest colony of European shags is in Cies islands, Galicia (2,500 pairs , 25% of the world’s population). 24 pairs can be seen along the coast from Getaria to Hendaia, mainly in Ulia and Jaizkibel.
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
Loggerhead turtles are reptiles. They live in the oceans all around the world, except in the coldest seas for north and south, near the earth's poles. The ones that get to Basque coasts are young ones brought by currents; these waters are too cold for them and they die of hypothermia in our beaches. Loggerhead turtles have and oversized head,a large, reddish brown hard shell, a pale yellow underbelly and four flippers with two or sometimes three strong claws on each. They eat jellyfish, fish, clams, crabs, mussels, sea urchins and brown algae. They lay eggs.
They can live for more than 50 years. They can weight up to 115 kg. They are the most common turtle species found in the mediterranean sea.
sea slug
Sea slug is a type of mollusk. They live in the rocky reefs in the bay of Biscay and Mediterranean sea. They have elongated body, the color is light and dark blue, yellow lines and spots. They eat sponges and other sessile invertebrates. They lay eggs
They have hermaphroditic (each individual produces both eggs and sperm), either parent guards the eggs. The bright colour is a warning to potential predators, incorporates toxic chemicals from its prey into its own skin, they have bad tasting.
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE
The right whale is a mammal. They live in the western North Atlantic sea. They are big (13-16m and 40.000-70.000kg). They are black and white patches on their head and belly. They have no dorsal fin, they have a tail and a pair of blowholes on their head. They eat zooplankton and krill. They have babies every 3 to 4 years.
They can jump above the water surface, slap the surface of the water with tail, slap the water with pectoral fin. They make low frequency sounds for communication, they travel, dive underwater for 20 minutes max. They swim with other species of cetaceans, females sometimes swim while on their backs, cradling a newborn calf on their bellies. Female name: cow; male name: bull; baby name: calf. Can live 50-100 years. They can swim 16 km/h.
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE
MEDITERRANEAN MORAY
They are fish. They live in the East atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean sea (very few in the gulf of Biscay and it should not be caught).The Mediterranean Morays have an elongated, eel-like body; dark grey to dark brown with fine dark spots; slime skin, no scales; dorsal fin, long and short teeth. They eat fish, crayfish and cephalopods, dead animals.. They lays eggs.
The Mediterranean Moray can grow up to 150 cm and weight over 15 kg. Also called roman eel. Its bite can be dangerous to humans. More active at night.. It is solitary and territorial.
spider crab
Spider crabs are a type of crustacea. They live in the mediterranean and atlantic sea Portugal, Morocco and Senegal. They have up to 20 cm long, large, orange, 2 strong claws, 8 long legs like a spider. They eat seaweed,mussels and starfish. They lay eggs.
They are also known as the European spider crab and migrate into deeper waters in autumn, sometimes over 160 km in total. They walk sideways. They fight a lot. When they lose one leg, a new one grows.