The EastCoaster

By: Grace Brogioli

Along the East Coast, there are several marine species. Most notable are sharks (especially the Great White), a variety of seals, whales, dolphins, fish, and several types of crabs. Along the East Coast, some people are scared of marine life while others are fascinated by it. 

As mentioned, White sharks are prevalent along the entirety of the East Coast, especially through the months of June-October. Hot spots where these sharks go include Cape Cod and Long Island. Cape Cod is now considered one of the world’s largest hotspots for this massive species. This is due to laws prohibiting humans to kill seals, meaning the seal population grew, and there is no more prey for the sharks to hunt. Another spot where the sharks like to go is Long Island, especially the south shore. The sharks here have nurseries. Even though these sharks have a reputation for being aggressive and mean, and are thought of as the sharks that attack humans, these sharks are very important to the environment. For instance, the Great Whites, and most sharks in general are top predators in their ecosystem. They keep their prey, such as seals at a healthy population level. 

OCEARCH Shark Tracker: https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/

Whales, dolphins, and fish are also very prevalent species all along the East Coast. Fishing is a huge part of towns and communities along the coast. Fish provide food for people, and fishing is an activity that people can take part in as well. There are also several whale watches that take place (especially through the months of May-October) where you can see a whale and dolphins right in front of you. With these recreational activities that people can participate in, it helps us have a greater appreciation for these species and the environment. All of these species (whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and several fish) play a vital role in our ecosystem and the environment. 

Lastly, our coast is home to a variety of crabs. One of the coolest species that is native to the East Coast is the horseshoe crab. These creatures are the most fascinating species I have ever witnessed. Horseshoe crabs have been around for over 400 million years. They have been around since before the dinosaurs. If you have ever seen them, you may think they look funny, but that is because they haven’t evolved because they don’t have to. What is truly fascinating about horseshoe crabs is that they have blue blood. The blood of the horseshoe crab is the most expensive blood of any animal. The blue blood of the horseshoe crab is used for medicine and it helps test if certain vaccines will be safe for humans or not. Horseshoe crabs are very important for humans as well as the environment. If you were to ever see a horseshoe crab too, you can pick them up but you have to be careful on how you pick them up. It is very important to never pick them up by the tail because that is how they get hurt, but instead, pick them up on the upper sides with both of your hands. Horseshoe crabs are not like the typical crabs we may see with the two big claws, instead, they have several legs that have pinchers on them. However. getting pinched by them does not hurt nearly as much as getting pinched by a typical crab such as a blue crab!

There are several native marine species that can be found all along the East Coast. They are fascinating and important creatures that help us and our environment thrive.