I woke up excited this morning as I was off to see Grandfather Crustarka’s new home. A wise old hermit crab, he had always lived in spectacular shells on the shore; delicate pink domes or spiralling, twisting turrets dotted with nature’s designs. But instead of a lavish new palace, Grandfather Crustarka was crammed into a tiny abode that looked like it was made out of rotten coconut shell!

“I’ve combed Blu beach as far as Al Bakarat reef and there are no shells big enough for me,” sighed Grandfather Crustarka from within his tightly fitting shell.

“Hermit crabs like us are exoskeletal and have to find new shells to protect us as we grow – moving house is thought to be the most stressful thing any creature can do and some of us do it every few weeks!”

My mind wandered to my own collection of shells and nautical treasures; they couldn’t possibly matter, could they? I confessed my little haul to Crustarka.

“Shells aren’t just houses for hermits, Kaku; other creatures live in them too, like snails, clams and limpets. Small fish use them to hide from predators. Even shorebirds use them to build nests. Then there’s sea-grass out on the reef – that’s anchored by shells,” he continued, “and when shells break down they become nutrient-rich food for organisms living in the sand, before eventually becoming part of the beach.”

I woke up excited this morning as I was off to see Grandfather Crustarka’s new home. A wise old hermit crab, he had always lived in spectacular shells on the shore; delicate pink domes or spiralling, twisting turrets dotted with nature’s designs. But instead of a lavish new palace, Grandfather Crustarka was crammed into a tiny abode that looked like it was made out of rotten coconut shell!

“I’ve combed Blu beach as far as Al Bakarat reef and there are no shells big enough for me,” sighed Grandfather Crustarka from within his tightly fitting shell.

“Hermit crabs like us are exoskeletal and have to find new shells to protect us as we grow – moving house is thought to be the most stressful thing any creature can do and some of us do it every few weeks!”

My mind wandered to my own collection of shells and nautical treasures; they couldn’t possibly matter, could they? I confessed my little haul to Crustarka.

“Shells aren’t just houses for hermits, Kaku; other creatures live in them too, like snails, clams and limpets. Small fish use them to hide from predators. Even shorebirds use them to build nests. Then there’s sea-grass out on the reef – that’s anchored by shells,” he continued, “and when shells break down they become nutrient-rich food for organisms living in the sand, before eventually becoming part of the beach.”

Looking around, I realised the error of my ways. If every visitor to the Maldives took just one shell home with them, we’d lose over a million every year! Imagine the impact that would have year upon year…

“Memories are the only thing we should take away from the beach,” smiled the wise old hermit. “The world would be a much more balanced place if we collected less and appreciated more.”

And with that, he hobbled off to continue his search, leaving me to scuttle home to return my own collection of shells back to their rightful place on the shore.

Looking around, I realised the error of my ways. If every visitor to the Maldives took just one shell home with them, we’d lose over a million every year! Imagine the impact that would have year upon year…

“Memories are the only thing we should take away from the beach,” smiled the wise old hermit. “The world would be a much more balanced place if we collected less and appreciated more.”

And with that, he hobbled off to continue his search, leaving me to scuttle home to return my own collection of shells back to their rightful place on the shore.