Shetland Rockpool Safaris

Aeolidia Papillosa

Aeolidia Papillosa

Aeolidia Papillosa

Aeolidia Papillosa

A few stills from my afternoon session with these Grey Sea Slugs.

At first I thought I'd found one of the other similar species when spying the paler one, but it's Y marking on its head confirms Aeolidia papillosa.

#Nudibranch #SeaSlug #MarineLife #Shetland #Rockpool

A Grey Sea Slug, Aeolidia papillosa, prowling through a Shetland Rockpool on the hunt for a tasty anemone (at 2x speed). Also known as the Shag Rug Nudibranch, because.....well just look at it!

🦀🐚🌊🐌

#Nudibranch #MarineLife #Shetland #RockPool #TidePool

Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa

Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa

Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa

Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa

One of our cutest rockpooling finds recently. Those rhinophores are definitely giving sea bunny. This guy was just sliding along the bottom of a shallow pool out in the open.

#Nudibranch #SeaSlug #Rockpool #TidePool #MarineLife #SeaLife #Shetland

Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa

Solar-powered Sea Slug - Elysia viridis

European Cowrie

Bloody Henry Starfish

Some recent Rockpool highlights. Braving the cold water this time of year is definitely worth it!

#Rockpooling #TidePool #MarineLife #Shetland #Nature #SeaLife #Nudibranch #SeaSlug #Cowrie

Facelina auriculata

Facelina auriculata

Facelina auriculata

Facelina auriculata from a Rockpool near Lerwick, Shetland.

A dream find, only our 3rd up here in as many years.

Nudibranchs or sea slugs are the absolute highlight for us when exploring our shores.

#SeaSlug #MarineLife #Shetland #Rockpool #Tidepool #SeaLife #Nature

Grey Sea Slug

European Cowrie

Long-spined Bullhead/Sea Scorpion

2 Sea Lemons

A few non-UV illuminated finds from todays night time safari.

Cowries, fish and sea slug species are always a delight. Fish were particularly conspicuous in the torch light, with 20+ of 3 species seen.

#Rockpooling #Tidepooling #MarineLife #SeaLife #SeaShore #Cowrie #Nudibranch #Fish

A Sea Spider in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light

A Scale Worm in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light

A European Cowrie in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light

A beadlet anemone and a grey topshell in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light

Some Rockpool critters under UV light from night session in Shetland this evening. The Sea Spider just glowed, and the pink from the Cowrie is fantastic.

#MarineLife #Rockpool #Tidepool #Shetland #Sealife

#MarineLife

Beast in the barrel/Phronima sedentria

Beast in the barrel/Phronima sedentria

Beast in the barrel/Phronima sedentria

Beast in the barrel/Phronima sedentria

Beast in the barrel/Phronima sedentria

We found these magnificently weird creatures washed up on St. Ninians beach tombolo over the holidays.

It's an amphipod crustacean living in a salp barrel. A very cool beach combing find!

#Shetland #BeachCombing #PhronimaSedentria #Beach #Salp #Crustacean

Our safari dates February to August are now available for booking.

February to May

June to August

We've just finalised our schedule up to August 2026!

#MarineLife #Rockpool #Wildlife #GuidedTour

Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland

Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland

Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland

Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland

Polycera quadrilineata or Four-lined Polycera.

A small but relatively common nudibranch found in rockpools and along piers and pontoons, if you have the patience to sift through the wracks.

#Nudibranch #MarineLife #Polycera #Rockpool #Tidepools #Shetland #VisitShetland #SeaLife #Wildlife #Nature

Brown Crab

Small Anemone - ID not yet known

Stalked Jelly - Haliclystus octoradiatus

Five-beared Rockling

Some highlights from recent Rockpool Safaris. IDs in Alt text.

Wow that is very cool!

Solar-powered Sea Slug - Elysia viridis, from a Rockpool in Shetland.

Flashing part of its "solar panel" that is filled with chlorophyll harvested from the algae it grazes on.

#Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Shetland #Wildlife #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #MarineLife

Our group checking out the finds in a tray.

Our group checking out the finds in a tray.

Sea Lemon selection

Common and Brittle Sea Stars

A lovely evening Safari with 7 entrepid rockpool explorers. We found some of the largest Sea Lemons I've ever seen, and a great selection of other intertidal beasties from Sea Stars to Squat Lobsters.

#SeaLemon #Nudibranch #Rockpool #Tidepool #MarineLife #Nature #Wildlife

We find them under rocks and on seaweed in rockpools on even moderate low tides in Shetland, definitely worth a look if your next search coincides with a low tide.

Isn't it 🤣 between this and Nudibranchs, the ocean is CUTE!

European Cowrie or Groatie Buckie in Shetland dialect. So much more interesting like this than the dead shells you might find on the beach!

#Cowrie #MarineLife #SeaSide #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature

Cadlina laevis, a Nudibranch found in Shetland

Cadlina laevis, a Nudibranch found in Shetland

Here's one I'm more confident as Cadlina laevis, showing some proper white and translucence, with hints of yellow near the mantle edge.

A nudibranch on Corallina officinalis, ID to be confirmed.

A nudibranch free floating just off a piece of kelp, ID to be confirmed.

I recently posted this as Cadlina laevis (White Sea Slug) but on review think it might be Jorunna tomentosa.

If anyone on here knows and can talk me through the ID I'd really appreciate it!

#Nudibranch #Shetland #MarineLife #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Wildlife

Elysia viridis, a nudibranch like sea slug (or perhaps more accurately a sea snail?) from a Rockpool in Shetland, UK.

Elysia viridis - Solar-powered Sea Slug

This fascinating little creature ingests chloroplasts from its food algae, then uses them for photosynthesis to supplement its food supply. The folds on its back fan out to increase surface area to aid this process.

#SeaSlug #Shetland #Rockpool #MarineLife

Yes please!

Cadlina laevis - a Nudibranch found in Shetland.

Aegires punctilucens - a nudibranch found in Shetland.

Palio nothus, a Nudibranch found in Shetland

Sea Lemon (Doris pseudoargus) in front of a Green Sea Urchin in a sample tray, found in a Rockpool in Shetland.

Some recent Nudibranch finds whilst rockpooling around Shetland. Identifications in Alt text.

The variety, colour and alien-ness of Nudibranchs never ceased to amaze me!

#Shetland #Rockpool #Tidepool #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #Seashore #MarineLife #UkWildlife #ShetlandWildlife #Nature

Beadlet Anemone

Common Starfish

European Cowrie

White Sea Slug

We've got spaces on tours in the last week of July:

Thu 24th @ 5:00pm
Sat 26th @ 6:00pm

If you are in Shetland, why not book on one and learn about some of the creatures below (Beadlet Anemone, common starfish, european cowrie, white sea slug)

#TidePool #RockPool #Wildlife #SeaLife #Shetland

A tour participant searching a seaweed covered Rockpool.

Common Starfish

Orange-clubbed Seaslug

Hermit crab in the hand

Fancy learning about what lies just beneath the surface of Shetlands wonderful shores? All ages welcome! Check out our website and book your tour. If you aren't visiting soon, enjoy the gallery of some of our favourite finds!

#Rockpool #WildlifeTour #Nature #Shetland #Starfish #Crab #Nudibranch

Shetland Rockpool Safaris Shetland Rockpool Safaris - offering guided rockpool tours in Shetland, UK. Come and take a look at the fantastic wildlife beneath the waves with us.

Come rockpooling with us!
We love rockpooling and are excited to be starting a new venture - offering guided rockpool safaris here in Shetland.
Check out our website for more details and dates of sessions!

#Rockpool #Rockpooling #Shetland #Tidepool #Wildlife #Seaside