Sandy shores seem open and endless, but actually include a number of different habitats. Starting at the crashing waves of the tidal zone, animals such as the mole crab bury themselves in the shifting sands, moving up and down the beach as the waves break and the tide turns. In the intertidal zone crustaceans and mollusks are truly living life on the edge, either being preyed upon by shorebirds on the beach or fish and crabs in the water. Up from the intertidal zone is the wrack line – seaweed and other flotsam gathered on the upper beach. Bull kelp, feather boa algae, dead sea life, and drift wood provide homes for amphipods and black flies. These beach decomposers help break down dead plant and animals, and in turn are food for small shorebirds such as the endangered snowy plover. There are many beaches to enjoy and explore in Golden Gate including Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, Tennessee Valley Beach, Rodeo Beach, Baker Beach, and Ocean Beach.