Sydney’s endangered seahorses find refuge in underwater hotels

Researchers in Australia are building ocean love shacks to boost numbers of the endangered White’s seahorse. Pollution, construction, storms and illegal trade are threatening the tiny pipefish. Das Seepferdchen von Sydney vor dem Aussterben bedroht (Sea Life Sydney Aquarium) It can grow to a maximum of 16 centimeters, change color depending on mood and habitat, and, like all seahorses, the White’s seahorse male gestates its young. But this tiny snouted fish is under threat. White’s seahorse, also called the Sydney seahorse, is native to the Pacific waters off Australia’s east coast. In recent years, populations have decreased drastically. It and the South African Knysna seahorse are the only two out of around 50 seahorse species to be listed as endangered. Read more : How to get from Europe to Australia without flying A wild storm season from 2010 to 2013 left the Sydney seahorses’ habitat in tatters, wiping out 90% of the population in the area. Several large storms shifted huge volumes of sand, smothering the soft corals, sponges and seagrass they call home. Read more : So cute, so bizarre: Seahorses That’s why researchers in Sydney Harbour have built special seahorse hotels to help restore their habitat and […]

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