They are called “seahorses” because of their horse-like heads âeven their scientific name is based on the Greek word for horse (Hippocampus). Seahorse (also written sea-horse and sea horse) is the name given to 46 species of small marine fish in the genus Hippocampus. Habitat degradation and destruction due to coastal development, marine pollution, coral reef destruction, and land-based deforestation. The most endangered seahorse is the Cape seashore (Hippocampus capensis) endemic to South Africa. RELATED ISSUES Gulf Disaster Oceans Ocean Acidification The Endangered Species Act. There is a lack of information on their life histories and as they are very vulnerable to the pet trade, many researchers believe seahorses should simply be … By catch in the shrimp trawl and other fisheries off of Florida, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Visit our Travel & Trade section on Caribbean travel for more information on buying souvenirs. Seashores have captured the imagination of humans where they are featured in the mythology, legends, folklore of many countries. The fins on the sides of their heads can beat up to 50 times a second, and their tails are prehensile (they can be used to hold onto or grasp objects) like a monkey’s. There is some international trade in U.S.-native seahorses, but most trade (worldwide and entering the United States) comes from Asia. Why is the seahorse endangered? The extent of these threats vary from species to species. There are currently no seahorse species listed under the Endangered Species Act, although dwarf seahorse is being evaluated for possible listing by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The #2 species on my list is the world’s most Endangered seahorse, the Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis). To read more on this CITES recommendation, click here . Most seahorse species are poorly evaluated (data deficient) and their population trends and status are unknown. Home >> CITES >> Species Information >> Animals >> Seahorses. White's seahorse, also called the Sydney seahorse, is native to the Pacific waters off Australia's east coast. As part of the listing, CITES Parties agreed to a voluntary minimum size limit for wild-collected seahorses , which the United States adheres to. Species List. Seahorses are fascinating sea creatures native to saltwater environments from the tropics to temperate zones. Male can give birth to up several hundred young from one pregnancy. The fins on the sides of their heads can beat up to 50 times a second, and their tails are prehensile (they can be used to hold onto or grasp objects) like a monkeys. All seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus. Deforestation leads to increased siltation in surrounding marine waters, thereby suffocating sea grass bed and killing coral reefs. | Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Fund, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, NOAA Fisheries - Office of Protected Resources, minimum size limit for wild-collected seahorses, international trade in captive-bred seahorses. Seahorses are very fascinating and magical marine creatures. In a seahorses life cycle, male is the one to give birth. as threatened or endangered: the dwarf seahorse, fringed pipefish, opossum pipefish, Texas pipefish, diamondback terrapin, Gulf sturgeon, Florida manatee, and the Kemp's ridley sea turtle. The plan was based . Following a dramatic decline in numbers over the past decade, White's Seahorse, also known as the Sydney Seahorse, has recently been listed as an 'Endangered' species. ACTION TIMELINE. You can make a difference by: refusing to buy seahorse souvenirs and wild caught seashore for aquarium, promoting forest conservation and reforestation along coastlines, Camouflage plays an important part in the ecology of the seahorse © Paddy Ryan. From the Critically Endangered Greek nine-spine stickleback, Pungitius hellenicus, and the Estuarine pipefish, Syngnathus watermeyeri, in South Africa to the Threatened seahorses in many parts of the world, 7% of all species under the responsibility of this Specialist Group have been assessed as threatened in the IUCN Red List. It and the South African Knysna seahorse are the only two out of around 50 seahorse species to be listed as endangered. This minimum size limit is designed to discourage people from harvesting immature seahorses that have not had a chance to reproduce and contribute to the population. Endangered Seahorses – Calling for a Ban on the Sales of Seahorses Taken from the “Wild”. However, magnificent seashores are under threats and some species are rapidly declining such as the hedgehog seahorse or the flat-faced seahorse. Below is a link with a list of endangered species. Its habitat is threatened by development and water pollution. The smallest seahorse is Hippocampus satomiae with a length of 13.8 mms (0.54 inches) and a height of 11.5 mms (0.45 inches). Hundreds of thousands of seahorses are sold for the aquarium trade driven primarily by North American. Like most other species, both terrestrial and marine, seahorses, pipefishes, sticklebacks, and their relatives face many threats, including habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and direct exploitation in the form of overfishing and bycatch. This species has a restricted and fragmented distribution, only known in a few estuaries. They lack teeth, a stomach, and a caudal fin. Threats to seahorses include: Legal and illegal trade for ornamental display (sold dried as souvenirs), aquarium fishes, and traditional Chinese medicine. Photo Credits! After the female deposits her eggs in the male’s brood pouch, he fertilizes the eggs and anchors himself to a solid surface to await the birth â sometimes for up to several weeks. Its habitat is threatened by development and water pollution. Seahorses were listed on the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Appendix II in 2002, with implementation as of May 2004. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippokampos (ἱππόκαμπος hippókampos), itself from hippos (ἵππος híppos) meaning "horse" and kampos (κάμπος kámpos) meaning "sea monster". Endangered Seahorses Could be Extinct in Next Three Decades. Another endangered species named as Knysna seahorse is extant of South Africa (Western Cape). Site and Image use! Hong Kong customs officers have made their biggest seizure of endangered seahorses in two years with the arrest of a 63-year-old man during an operation against illegal wildlife trade, finding 75kg of the product valued at HK$1 million (US$129,000). Seahorses spend a lot of time in one area by wrapping their tails around underwater plants or coral. Of the possible 50 species of seahorses known to science, at least six are native to the United States and Outlying Territories (American Samoa; Baker, Howland and Jarvis Islands; Guam; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Navassa Island; Northern Mariana Islands; Palmyra Atoll; Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands; Wake Islands). Seahorses can reach a size of 20 cm (8 inches). Seahorses themselves are intentionally harvested by people for the curio and aquarium trade and for traditional medicines, both domestically and internationally. White's seahorse is among them. White's seahorse is … Eight species are classified as threatened (vulnerable or endangered). Our native seahorses have varying levels of rarity and protection throughout the United States and Outlying Territories (listed above), and laws vary from State to State. In some species, male and female seahorses form monogamous breeding pairs â that is, they mate for life. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. The majority of seahorse species are socially monogamous. Seahorses protect themselves against predators by blending perfectly in their environment. They use long snout to absorb tiny shrimp, fish, and plankton. Home. An aquarium in Sydney reported on Monday, October 12, that a number of White’s seahorses bred in a conservation program were found to be … The size of the wild population is unknown. They are classified as fish and are cousins to pipefish and sea dragons, from the family Syngnathidae. In addition, the genus Hippocampus was listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as of 2004, based on a proposal put forward by the United States. Most of these seahorses are juveniles where they usually die within a short period. Overall, seahorses are characterized by a rapid growth rate, early age at maturity, high natural mortality, short generation time, and multiple spawnings per year. Worldwide, 14 of the 50 seahorse species are listed as vulnerable or endangered of becoming extinct. Back in 2009, I drew up my own personal bucket list of the 10 marine species that I wanted to photograph before I turned 50. Photo by David Harasti. Seahorses tend to have low birth rates, with lengthy parental care. In addition, the waters they live in are often exploited by people â such as for fishing or urban development â which degrades and destroys their habitat. According to official figures, 64 million of the delicate creatures are taken from oceans annually for Chinese … | Seahorses, Tigers and Pandas are endangered,to name a few. The first records of their medical use appe… Victor Cheng leaned across his office desk, in a small business park, in San Jose, California. Seahorses are part of the family syngnathidae (pronounced sing-nath-i-dee), which means "fused jaw". Seahorses inhabit mainly tropical and temperate coastal waters. Most of the vulnerable species belong to … Perhaps one of the most fascinating facts about seahorses is that males give birth to the young! Many seahorse species on the IUCN Red List are listed as vulnerable, endangered and also data deficient. All seahorses are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but this designation does not protect the dwarf seahorse from the domestic trade by which it is primarily threatened, and does not ensure that current collection levels are sustainable. Seahorses are an important part of the marine world and saving them is an imperative. The dwarf seahorse is not listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. From a scientific perspective… Fourteen seahorse species are officially listed as endangered or vulnerable, and these species are considered at risk of becoming extinct in the wild. Currently Recognized Hippocampus Species and Common Names; There are currently around thirty-five recognized seahorse species. | Several characteristics make seahorses naturally vulnerable to extinction. The White seahorse is a resident of Queensland and New South Wales regions of Australia is termed endangered. They can serve as flagship species for a wide range of marine conservation issues. Contact Us! MEDIA Press releases Search our newsroom for the dwarf seahorse. Their preferred habitats are coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds and estuaries. Yes, seahorses otherwise known as Hippocampus capensis are formally listed as endangered. Pregnant Knysna seahorse male on purple sponge habitat. We still do not how long seahorses live and most of their natural history remains mysterious. In recent years, populations have decreased drastically. Corals, mollusks, seahorses and numerous other marine species areremoved from the wild illegally to supply the demands for live specimens forthe aquarium and food trades, curios sold as tourist souvenirs, and astraditional medicines. Seahorses, which have existed for 13 million years, could be the creatures of the past in three decades unless a drastic action is taken. | in part on a Geographic Information Systems database developed from Many coral species are protected under international, domestic or even state environmental laws. He poured over a thick Chinese medical encyclopedia, hunting for “hai ma,” or seahorse. When he found “seahorse” in the encyclopedia, he translated the entry. This pygmy species is found near Derawan Island off Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are called seahorses because of their horse-like heads even their scientific name is based on the Greek word for horse (Hippocampus). Fourteen seahorse species are officially listed as endangered or vulnerable, and these species are considered at risk of becoming extinct in the wild. Cheng, a graduate of UC Berkeley and UCLA, practices traditional Chinese medicine in California, and at Shuguang Hospital in Shanghai. This species has a restricted and fragmented distribution, only known in a few estuaries. Corals are threatened by a variety of factors, including illegal harvest of live coral for the aquarium trade and dead coral skeletons to make curios and jewelry. Materials on this website are Copyright ©2011 by Endangered Species International, Inc. all rights reserved. White's seahorse, also called the Sydney seahorse, is native to the Pacific waters off Australia's east coast. Hong Kong customs officers have made their biggest seizure of endangered seahorses in two years with the arrest of a 63-year-old man during an operation against illegal wildlife trade, finding 75kg of the product valued at HK$1 million (US$129,000).About 25kg of the dried seahorses were airmailed into the city from Indonesia via a logistic hub in Shenzhen and were found in a Hong Kong … In recent years, populations have decreased drastically. WWF is committed to saving endangered species. All seahorses belong to … From a scientific perspective, seahorses are classified as fish. Big-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) The big-bellied, big-belly or pot-bellied seahorse … NATURAL HISTORY . The courtship behaviors are complex with partners displaying changes in color. Seahorses are fascinating sea creatures native to saltwater environments from the tropics to temperate zones. MOST Threatened Species. Read the 2020 Status Review Report (PDF, 90 pages) Recreational Fishing Regulations They have head like a horse, a tail like a monkey, a head that moves independently, and skin color that can change like a chameleon. We, NOAA Fisheries, announced a 12-month finding and listing determination on a petition to list the dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.We have completed a status review of the dwarf seahorse in response to a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity. More than 20 millions of seahorses are estimated to be traded each year for Chinese medicine. Seahorses are relatively immobile and they live in habitats such as mangrove forests and sea grass beds that provide food (usually brine shrimp) and shelter (including camouflage against predators). The most endangered seahorse is the Cape seashore (Hippocampus capensis) endemic to South Africa. Due to their unique appearance and biology, people in Asia have credited seahorses with magical powers. Seahorses have returned to the Dorset coast (Credits: FLPA/REX) The endangered spiny seahorse has recolonised its former stronghold in … ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE. The Convention on Internatio… Learn more about the species we are working to protecting from becoming endangered or extinct. Donate! CITES regulations also recognize that international trade in captive-bred seahorses , rather than wild, reduces the collection pressure on wild populations. 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