The Okinawa Sea Turtle Festival is on October 21st at Zanpa Beach. The Churamura Okinawa Sea-Turtle conservation organization hosts this fantastic event. Please join the fun. The event will start at 11:00 a.m.
All kinds of fun events for the kids to enjoy.
Give back to nature at the Hermit Crab Conservation Workshop, which starts at 16:00.
Shawn Miller created Make the Switch 4 Nature to spread joy + inspire change + save lives. His photography documenting hermit crabs adapting with plastics has been featured in National Geographic Magazine & inspired thousands to #TakeTrashNotHomes.
SHELL DONATION DRIVE: Do you have unwanted shells at home? Bring them to the Sea Turtle Festival and drop them off at Shawn’s MTS4N booth on October 21st from 1100-1700 on Zanpa Beach. The Okinawa Sea Turtle Festival is FREE, but donations to support Shawn’s work are appreciated.
Learn more about Churamuraand the fantastic work they are doing!
Meet Zerocare, A blueberry hermit crab found adapting with a discarded plastic twist top cap.
The hermit crab was offered an assortment of shells. Zerocare made the switch into the donated seashell ” Zerocare MTS4N 282 ”
I photographed the shy hermit crab in its new home, then released it back into the wild. Happy Crab – Happy Home!
I now keep all the twist top caps that were used by hermit crabs. I currently have 105 caps that have been traded for shells ( #MTS4N Trading Plastic 4 Shells Collection )
As you can see our trash is a serious problem on our shorelines. Some organizations are doing great things making a difference but it’s not enough, We must all work together worldwide and attack this problem. We all have the ability to make a difference by reducing the amount of single-use items we use daily. Change can be difficult but I challenge you to make the switch 4 nature.
Would you like to give back to nature? Please support our Hermit Crab Conservation Project. MakeTheSwitch4Nature
Listen to podcast 753 Interview, discussing the hermit crab conservation project. Martin Bailey Photography
Thank youZEROCAREfor your support, You are making a difference by providing sustainable options and Protecting Our Oceans. Keep up the Great work!
Do you have any seashells collecting dust at home? if so, consider donating them to the #MTS4N Project
Please consider making a small donation to support the mission
How many times have you picked up an empty seashell and brought it home? Most people don’t realize that they are taking a potential mobile home. As hermit crabs grow larger they have to upgrade their mobile home. They are constantly searching for larger seashells. No shells, then the hermits will adapt with plastic twist tops, plugs, and even broken bottles. Over collecting seashells is a contributing factor.
” Trading Plastic for Shells ” Every hermit crab found adapting with trash receives a proper seashell home. They get a better home and I keep the plastic. So far I have a nice collection of plastic.
Trading plastic for shells collection
In 2020, Tony Choi ( hermit crab specialist ) recommended that I place empty seashells on the shorelines. He explained that Taiwan has the same issue with over-collecting. Tony sent me the first shell donation and after that more people starting making kind contributions. I engraved numbers on all the shells. Hopefully, this will prevent beachcombers and fishermen from taking the shells.
Trading plastic for shells
Below is a large land hermit crab ( Coenobita cavipes ) I found using a plastic PVC 90-degree elbow as a protective home. Yomitan Village, Okinawa.
How do I get the crabs to swap? I bring a bucket with an assortment of native shells with me on my beach hikes. The hermit crabs are placed in the bucket and make the switch on their own. They get a better home and I keep the plastic. #Maketheswitch4nature
The land hermit crab made the switch into a donated tapestry shell (Miller #23). Hermit crabs do not prefer plastic, they are just adapting to what is available.
If you would like to see video footage of the hermit crabs making the switch from plastic to seashell check out MakeTheSwitch4Nature
” Trading plastic for shells ” Before and after examples
Blue Thumbnail
Miller #45
Trumpet player
Miller #51
Jump rope
mts4n #29
Marshmallow
Miller #27
This post is not to make people sad, guilty, or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines. Hopefully, these images will inspire people to change.
My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations
Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bringing solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.
