JAPAN – Shawn Miller, an American nature photographer living in Okinawa, has long loved observing small creatures on the beach. In 2010, he noticed some hermit crabs living in plastic caps, bottle fragments, and other human litter.Investigating further, he learned that as hermit crabs grow, they must find new shells. But natural shells were disappearing, partly because people take them home as souvenirs. Left with no shells to choose from, the crabs turned to whatever they could find, mostly plastic waste.
Shawn launched Make the Switch 4 Nature (MTS4N), collecting natural shells and placing them on beaches to give hermit crabs real options, while also clearing plastic waste from the shore. His project struck a chord worldwide, drawing shell donations from collectors and tourists.
Today, thousands of hermit crabs have found their way back into proper natural homes.
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