The future of all species of seahorse looks anything but rosy. All species are now endangered by overuse. They have a horse’s head, the pouch of a kangaroo, her tail is similar to that of monkeys and they can adjust their body color of their surroundings. In a Fanny Pack, males hatch from eggs and give birth to the young individual and alive. And yet they are no chimeras of Mythology, but fish.
Seahorses are different than any other species of fish, there are beautiful, absolutely fascinating animals,”says Amanda Vincent, Director of Project Seahorse. The number of the world’s known species of seahorse is currently 50. Because only in May 2004, a whole new way has been found, you can assume, that some new species await discovery. The most recent is also the smallest seahorse species in the world, fully grown specimens reach the size of a fingernail with up to 16 millimetres length just once. Sara Lourie marine biologist from the University of British Columbia (Canada) joined in reefs off the coast of Indonesia on the miniature creatures, she identified as a separate species and she baptized in the name of Denise Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus denise). The name Denise is derived from the Greek God of wine and intoxication, Dionysus, and describes the unusual given their size liveliness of the animals.
“Compared with other smaller species they are incredibly active”, said Lourie. How much is the stock of miniature seahorses, nobody currently, because they are rarely spotted. Sara Lourie however fears nothing good: “divers and underwater photographers could love formally this wild dwarves to death”. But even the slightest problem with the unusual sea creatures have to fight is not human curiosity. The future of all species of seahorse looks anything but rosy. All species are now endangered by overuse. Especially the shrimp fishing with bottom trawls shaved whole populations of small animals as by-catch from the ocean floor. Seahorse who survive the ordeal of the catch are sold in the aquarium trade. Although it is extremely difficult to keep them in captivity the nimble lads are the top-ten of Aquarium species exported, for example, from Florida. International trade must the creatures a high tribute perhaps a too high. Staff of the Project Seahorse estimate that come each year at least 24 million dried seahorses in the world trade. In Asia, they are used for medical purposes and help against all sorts of impotence about respiratory and pain to heart disease. Elsewhere, dried seahorses are used as a popular holiday souvenirs. The stocks are also weakened by destruction and poisoning their habitats such as mangrove forests and seagrass fields. Although no one can estimate how it is currently appointed to the stocks of individual species, scientists ask and conservationists since a long time international protective measures, because too long these strange creatures who can not cope with current overuse. In many species of seahorses, the partners stay together during the entire breeding season. And every morning males and females welcome to perform a graceful dance in which their cocks into each other will degenerate and during which they change their color – maybe their last dance is danced soon.
