Atlas Hide and Seek Game

Principle of the game

Five animated images of marine species have been hidden in the European Maritime Day (EMD) In My Country 2025 map layer which shows a series of local events organised across Europe under the ‘EMD in my Country’ label. EMD In My Country events aim to raise awareness about the importance of the ocean and seas and to engage the public, particularly young people. Each event is represented by a starfish on the map. This is the visible part of the map. You can click on each starfish to discover information about the event, what it is about, when it is taking place, and who is organising the event.  To see the hidden images, you have to play the game!

The game includes 4 parts:

• Part 1: Find the hidden images of marine species;
• Part 2: Complete a table with information about the marine species;
• Part 3: Learn about marine species in other sea basins;
• Part 4: Discuss key measures to protect marine species.

Teachers can divide their class into groups. Each group can then look for information about one of the marine species.

Part 1: Find the hidden images of marine species

The Atlas team has hidden five images of marine species in the map layer ‘European Maritime Day in My Country 2025’.  Will you find them? Here are the hints they have given us to find the images. 

• The map layers ‘Marine Natura 2000 sites’ and ‘Sea names’ are helpful to find the images. To search the images, you will need to open the map that combines all three map layers.
• You can use the + sign to zoom in on specific regions in the map.
• When you click on a starfish in the map which represents an event, you can see information about the event. When you click on a Natura 2000 site, you can see the name of that Natura 2000 site.

The Atlas team added the images on five different starfish in the map:

• The first image is located in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea, in Ravenna (Italy), on a starfish nearby the Natura 2000 site ‘Adriatico settentrionale – Emilia-Romagna’;
• The second image is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, along the coast of Tuscany in Italy, in the Natura 2000 site ‘Tutela del Tursiops truncatus’;
• The third image is located in the Balearic Sea along the coast of Spain, nearby the Natura 2000 site ‘Canal de Menorca’;
• The fourth image is located in the north of Spain, on the coast of the Bay of Biscay;
• The fifth image is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, along the coast of Africa, in Tenerife.

Part 2: Complete the table with information about the marine species 

Once you have found the images and discovered the marine species represented in the five images, complete the table below by placing the following elements correctly in the table (be careful, some elements may not be included in the table!):

Name of species: Anglerfish – Bluefin tuna – Dolphin – Seahorse – Turtle

Class of vertebrates: Mammals – Fish – Reptiles – Amphibians - Birds

Sea:  North Atlantic Ocean –Tyrrhenian Sea – Balearic Sea – Adriatic Sea – Bay of Biscay

Then, research information to find out where each species lives, what it eats and a fun fact about this species. With this information, complete the three last columns of the table.

Part 3: Learn about marine species in other sea basins

No species were hidden in the Baltic Sea and in the Black Sea. Can you find examples of species that can be observed in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea?

Below are two websites that can help you find the answers!

• ACCOBAMS - Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area
• MarineFinland.fi – Species of the Baltic Sea

Part 4: Discuss key measures to protect marine species 

Organise a discussion in the classroom on one or several of the following topics:

• What are the main threats faced by these marine species?
• How can they be protected?
• What are Natura 2000 sites? 

Below are some websites / webpages that will help you find information on these topics:

• WISE Marine – Marine Water Information System for Europe - Biodiversity
• BISE – Biodiversity Information System for Europe
• European Environment Agency – Seas and coasts
• European Commission - Natura 2000 - The largest network of protected areas in the world
• Pelagos Sanctuary

Have you found the five species, completed the table and found the answers to the questions? 

Congratulations! You won the ‘Hide & Seek’ game!