Living The Wildlife

King Ragworm, Common Shore Crab, Hermit Crab, Lugworm, Water Boatman, Sand Eel and the Daubenton Bat (2x5)

Air date: May 30, 2009

On this week's Living The Wildlife, Colin introduces us to a whole range of creatures existing in the Dublin waters When you think about the variety of wildlife that exists in Ireland today, its pretty safe to say that Dublin is not the first location that comes to mind. Dublin waters host a huge range of creatures of all shapes and sizes, especially in its bays and waterways. In this episode, Colin Stafford-Johnson attempts to banish the old notion of polluted Dublin waters and introduces us to a whole range of wildlife that many of us have never seen before. Making his first stop in Dublin Bay, Colin meets up with Dave Tilly; an expert on wildlife that lives in the waters and beneath the surface of the mud, silt and sand. With Dave’s help, Colin manages to find the huge slimy King Rag, as well as the Common Shore Crab and the Hermit Crab, which come into the estuary to shed their shells whilst trying to avoid becoming a tasty treat for any lurking predators. When walking on a beach, have you ever wondered what the squiggly piles of sand dotted about the place are? Well each one is a worm and with Daves help Colin gets to see one up close and personal. The Lug Worm is just one example of the amazing wildlife that’s exists in this bay and it doesn’t end there. We get to see an array of birds, fish and crustaceans all coming to our capital to find food and breed. But it’s not just Dublin Bay that can lay claim to being a thriving hub of nature. Colin stops by the Grand Canal and finds that its now clear waters are the perfect place for wildlife to thrive. Along with Ken Whelan, Colin finds not only fresh water insects such as Boatmen and Sedge flies but learns that it’s a perfect location for Bats to feed off the surface of the river. It becomes clear that our capital city really is alive with nature!