Backyard Zoology · 19 July 2018
2018-07-19T18:10:43+10:00
https://www.facebook.com/backyardzoology/posts/pfbid04xzPPHcjJRgcbwqBo8ovtscVCcTi4eryLn47kjPDBhtHJHJQ7i2rRV6TkRmecL3Al

So I've been housebound the last few days - I have a sick husband, a school holidaying son and a body that's saying "right that's enough gallivanting about. How 'bout you, I don't know, stay home and make cupcakes instead?" Now everyone says that you should listen to your body yeah? I think they might mean to eat less crap and drink less booze and exercise more but if my body is demanding that I learn how to make unicorn and mermaid cupcakes, who I am to question it? So that was my day.

Anyway. I've had these pictures and variations of, for several weeks. I can never get decent shots of these guys though because they choose to hang out on the shaded side of the ocean pool but can we all just take a minute and appreciate how damn wonderful Sea Hares are! 

I mean it's pretty clear where the common name comes from - they're kind of bunnyish in their body shape and are total herbivores. The two tentacles on the top of the head are called rhinophores and are what really gives them their rabbit like appearance - these tentacles are used to 'smell' and they sense dissolved chemicals in the water. I just love how squishy and yet delicate they look. And they're actually pretty big growing to about 15cm making them a fairly easy to find, all be it camouflaged, critter once you know what you are looking for. I was watching them the other week munching away on the algae at the pool edge and was feeling pretty crappy about weight and those sort of things and then I looked at these big fatties and realised that a 100% salad based diet does not a lean body make 😂😉

Sydney Sea Hare
Bulli Ocean Pool

#coalcoast #northernillawarra #bullibeach #bullibeachcafe #rockpools #seahares #backyardzoology