Worth Sharing

WS

Stories That Matter

100 Tiny Endangered Seahorses Released into Sydney Harbor with High Hopes

100 Tiny Endangered Seahorses Released into Sydney Harbor with High Hopes
The reintroduction of one hundred seahorses to Sydney Clontarf area follows up on the largest reintroduction ever completed.

Australia continues to rehabilitate its populations of White's seahorse, an "Australian icon" and the only such creature on the nation's endangered list.

In May, WS reported that hundreds of White's seahorses were released into the waters north of Newcastle into specially-made "hotels" as part of the largest release of captive-bred seahorses in history.

Now, as part of another reintroduction, a tide pool north of Sydney Harbor in a place called Clontarf will become the latest release site for these tiny sea creatures.

The seahorses were bred at Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney, and the Aquarium's curator Laura Simmons says the release is just one of several already done and several more planned for 2024.

Also known as the New Holland seahorse, these small animals display a number of very interesting characteristics, including ovoviviparous reproduction whereby the female creates the eggs and uses an ovipositor to place them in the male's brood pouch where they are fertilized and carried until birth.

They also display strong fidelity and seasonal monogamous mating. Their population numbers have been in decline for years.

"We really want to reverse that trend and get them re-established," Simmons told ABC News AU. "They're our seahorses, this is an Australian icon."

Simmons said this release at Clontarf is the sixth release this year, following up on previous successes at Chowder Bay in Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay, and Little Manly Beach totaling over 400 individual seahorses.

Swimmers at Clontarf may be able to see the seahorses clinging to the habitat net in the tidal pool, but are encouraged not to disturb the animals.

SHARE This Story Of A Tiny National Icon Below The Sea On Social Media… 

About author
A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment