The Indian coastline is as biodiverse as a forest wildlife safari, and twice as secretive. From the space between land and sea, revealed only at low tide, comes a coruscating kaleidoscope of colours and brilliance: the intertidal zone. And the marine lifeforms of these zones are capable of superpowers. At our Online Talk #SuperpowersOnTheShore, nature writer Sejal Mehta shines a spotlight on the creatures that live on coasts, and the unique powers that help them thrive. She introduces us to ninja assassin sea snails, Deadpool-like regenerative worms, camouflaging octopuses, hustler crabs and more. She borrows from pop culture, psychology, experiences and life itself to make the talk palatable for those beyond traditional wildlife circles.

About the speaker

Sejal Mehta is a journalist and editor who has worked, and written for Lonely Planet Magazine India, National Geographic Traveller India, Nature in Focus, among others, in a 20-year career in the magazine and newspaper industry. She is also a published author of children's books. For the last eight years, she has walked across shores in India with the team of Marine Life of Mumbai, a citizen-led initiative documenting and creating awareness about the city's coastal biodiversity. Her forte has become making science palatable and fun to lay audiences. Through her conversations about the intertidal zone with adults and children over the years, she has found an engaged audience, ready to convert to tidepooling on their own.