Harbour Seal at Newport Library, Isle of Wight. One of six murals for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT) Secrets of the Solent campaign to bring awareness of the wonderful creatures that live in the Solent and the need to protect them and the fragile and complex ecosystems they depend upon.

Restoration of the vitally important seagrass beds is underway, with 21,000 seeds planted to date. This is where fish, crabs, cuttlefish and seahorses lay their eggs and where their young are sheltered in the protective slowed-down waters the seagrass provides. These creatures in turn provide food for the seals.

It is in all our interests to create and restore a #WilderSolent

Image by Sian Addison