Hermit Crabs With Garbage Homes

Hermit crabs are facing a bit of a housing crisis lately, as good shells become harder to find (arguably) because humans keep collecting shells and polluting the water.

But they're adapting to the situation by making use of the garbage we keep dumping in the sea, a survival technique being utilized by hermit crabs all over the world.

Okinawa-based photographer and nature lover Shawn M. Miller started shooting this series after he and his friends noticed a bunch of Blueberry hermit crabs walking around with trash "shells".

Shawn is hoping his photo series will raise awareness about the global plastic pollution problem by using the hermit crab as representative for the sea life affected by our wasteful ways.

Here's more from Shawn on his photo series:

It’s becoming more common to find crabs with beach trash homes. I have friends combing local beaches in search of more crabs for my series. While these are cute images, our trash is becoming a serious problem to the ocean and the animals that call the shoreline home. I often find hermit crabs using a variety of plastic caps from twist top pet bottles, laundry detergent containers, small propane tanks, sports water bottles and beauty supplies.

-Via Boing Boing