Live mollusks in their shells and other live sea creatures found in the waters around Sanibel are just some of the diverse topics that will be featured during the free 2021 Virtual Sanibel Shell Show. Be sure to be watching on March 5 + 6 from noon to 3 p.m. EST as we premiere our video program on the Sanibel Shell Club’s YouTube channel.
One video in particular is about a very popular live sea creature famous in our Sanibel waters– the beloved sand dollar. Sanibel Sea School’s Education Program Manager, Shannon Stainken, will inform us about many interesting facts about live sand dollars.
You will learn what sand dollars can do with their feet, what and how they eat, how to tell if they are alive, what color a live sand dollar will turn your fingers, how they got their name, and yes, there’s more!
Other Virtual Shell Show videos contain amazing footage of the live mollusks that make those beautiful shells that we love to find (empty). Have you ever seen a live pear whelk spit? Or an apple murex drilling a hole in a shark eye’s shell in order to kill it and to eat it? How about horse conchs in amorous positions? Battling bivalves and gastropods–who’s going to win? Well, there are scenes of all of these mollusks in action and many, many more.
Besides live mollusks, you’ll see a stunning and surprising video about some of the strangest live sea creatures ever to grace our Sanibel beaches. Gulf fire worms, sea pork, parchment worms, sea anemones, brittle stars, and sea cucumbers are just some of the creatures that Joyce Matthys has been able to film over the years. You won’t want to miss her excellent video!
Love artistic shell art and crafts? You’re in luck because there will be many videos in this category. Ditto to outstanding beach and shell videos, scientific research videos on mollusks, water quality, and other marine issues facing our shorelines. And yes to videos showing behind-the-scenes museum collections, a virtual fossil field trip, and a glimpse “Behind the Tanks” of the new aquariums at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum. There truly is something for everyone in our video line-up.
Be watching our website, social media, newsletter, newspapers, and many other info sources as we reveal more details soon about the 2021 Virtual Shell Show video program and schedule.
Join our club now so you won’t miss a thing!
For questions, email shellshow@sanibelshellclub.com. Or visit our Virtual 2021 Sanibel Shell Show webpage.