Seahorse Survey Underway

Forest and Bird, Issue 296, 1 May 2000, Page 9

Seahorse Survey Underway

ears that New Zealand sea- + horses will suffer a similar fate to those elsewhere is prompting the Western Underwater Research Team in Auckland to undertake a national survey of their numbers and distribution. The seahorse is popular in Asia, medicinally and in the pet trade, leading to a drastic fall in its numbers in some parts of the world. Seahorses are more common than apparent; their colours blend with the seaweeds they frequent. The fish can remain motionless except for its flittering gills. Biologically, they are bony fishes, with a swim bladder but no teeth or stomach. They eat tiny crustaceans such as brine shrimps and fish fry which are swallowed whole. Their breeding is unusual. The males carry the young. Couples court and stay together while brooding. The

female lays sticky strings of eggs and deposits them in the male’s pouch where they are fertilised. After 10 days to six weeks, depending on the species, the young are ejected from the pouch. The young then fend for themselves. A special permit is required to take seahorses from the wild and to date this has only been granted for educational or scientific purposes. Survey Seahorse 2000 invites divers to record the occurrence of the fish underwater, and for "‘beachcombers’ to record any dead specimens they find washed up on the shore. To get more information about Survey Seahorse 2000 phone (09) 827 7008. If you want to contribute to the survey contact Mike Percy at Survey Seahorse 2000, PO Box 20-296, Glen Eden, Waitakere City. Email: seahorse2000@xtra.co.nz