Fish and crustaceans use the marsh in numerous ways.
White shrimp grow up in the marsh before moving out to
the ocean. Other species, such as blue crab and red drum,
move in and out daily with the tide while larger species come
into the tidal creeks to fish. According to the South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), “three-quarters
of the animals harvested as seafood in South Carolina, even
offshore species such as some groupers, spend all or part of
their lives in estuarine waters around salt marshes ….”
A few toads and frogs have been sighted in high marsh
areas, and certainly a snake or two in the river, but none
of these animals can be considered residents of the marsh.
Alligators have also been seen moving through the marsh
probably going from tidal creeks to ponds.
The true reptile resident of the marsh, and one particularly
honored at Kiawah Island, is the Carolina diamondback
terrapin. Diamondback terrapins are somewhat small ranging
from five to eight inches in length. They search for food
through the marsh during high tide but lay their eggs on
higher ground. While no longer hunted as a culinary delicacy
by humans, the diamondbacks often get caught in crab traps.
Crab traps may be taken to the Heron Park Nature Center
to be fitted for a bycatch reduction device that will prevent
terrapins from entering the crab trap. Efforts are ongoing to
inform visitors and residents of this easy but effective way
to help the diamondback terrapin survive.
The marshes cradling Kiawah Island provide not only
a home for a few resident bird species but also serve as
important foraging areas for migrating shorebirds. With
species too numerous to mention, birdwatchers catch
seasonal glimpses throughout a year’s time. All year herons,
egrets, and ibises feed on the riches of the mud flats as fiddler
crabs scurry to dig into the “pluff mud,” and shrimp and
small fish get caught in the receding tide. Osprey and eagles
dive into the creeks to fish, while Northern harriers and owls
hunt extensively in the marsh. Clapper rails and marsh wrens
build their nests along the creek banks within the spartina but
DougWechsler.com from Marvels in the Muck: Life in the Salt
Marsh.
beyond the reach of the daily tides. Marsh wrens will build
several nests to distract predators such as raccoons, rice rats,
and mink. Only one nest is the breeding nest while the others
are false or resting nests. Red-winged blackbirds also nest
in the grasses of the marsh but are also frequent visitors to
backyard birdfeeders.
Raccoons and bobcats are mammals that feed in the
marsh, as are mink, otter, and bottlenose dolphins. The marsh
rice rat, which is semiaquatic, is rarely seen by humans but
provides predators an easy meal. A rice rat will rarely live for
more than one year. While an unpopular resident of Kiawah
Island, the rice rat is a reminder that a healthy ecosystem is
one in which there are equal prey and predators. Keeping our
marshes healthy is the best gift Kiawah residents can give to
one another.
To learn more about the importance of salt marshes in
general, and specifically the ones around Kiawah Island,
schedule a kayak tour through the marsh with the Heron
Park Nature Center. Kristen Rococo, a naturalist at the Nature
Center, would be happy to guide you on your trip. Also,
consider a visit to the South Carolina Aquarium’s renovated
Saltmarsh Aviary exhibit. NK
Photo by Tina Schell
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