Sand Dunes
Sand dunes fun facts:
- Dunes are formed from wind and the tides. They are constantly changing and moving.
- They protect the inland from storms and high winds.
- Dunes are home to many animals including, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates.
- They provide good protection for animal nurseries. Babies are well camouflaged and hidden away from the open beach.
- Just at the edge of the dunes is where female sea turtles lay their eggs.
- Grasses that grow in the dunes, protect them from erosion. They have very shallow root systems though and walking on the dunes for even a few feet can destroy an entire grass colony.
You can find birds, insects, invertebrates, mammals and birds throughout the dunes. You can also usually spot wildflowers and other plants along with the grass. These are some of the animals you can see on the dunes:
Marsh Rabbit!
Eastern Diamondback Rattle Snake (found on the south eastern coast of the U.S.)
Piping plovers are shore birds. They lay their nests near or in the dunes.
You can often spot ghost crabs and the holes that lead to their burrows in the dunes!
Purple sandpipers are another bird you’ll find!
