Rocky shores are found all over the world. Rocky shores are not all the same. For example, on the Pacific Northwest coast you will find steep, rocky cliffs. In Maine, you will find rocky coasts, too, but they slope gently into the sea.

Marine plants and animals that live along these rocky shores have adapted to a habitat that changes every day. In the intertidal zone, water levels along rocky shore may drop 12 feet or more between high and low tide. That means that organisms living on the rocks may be exposed to the air for 10 hours or more between high tides. And when the tides roll in, these same organisms must be able to withstand the waves which often hit with incredible force.

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