When a cuttlefish hatched
in my hand!

I was doing my usual wander along the strandline of my nearest beach just to see what I could see when I found a single cuttlegish egg. Cuttlefish eggs are not unusual here but this one was on its own.

I took a photo of it because it seemed so sad - it had been torn from its clutch but still felt plump and healthy and could have hatched it only the recent bad weather had left it stranded,

;

Near to it I found some seahare eggs and I thought I would take both down to put them in the sea - just to give them a bit of a chance.

But as I started walking, I felt something move in my hand. There was a tiny white wriggling thing! It was only seconds since I had picked the egg up!

I panicked and ran over to the nearest sea water I could see - a small puddle on the rocks.

It lay near the remains of its egg motionless for a few seconds. I could hardly breathe...

The pale white darkened and he started wriggling in his shallow pool.

He was just 6mm long

The only thing I could find on the beach to carry him was a limpet shell.

I moved him into a bigger pool (after checking there were no crabs, fish, anemones etc. in it) and he immediately started swimming around.

Even though he was only minutes old, he could already change colour - each time the seaweeds or I moved, he changed.

Hopefully he is out there now feeding and thriving!

How he will look when full-grown

© Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 4.0

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