How to Save Seahorses from Extinction
Renowned for their mythical beauty, seahorses have long captivated the human imagination. Yet the world's seahorse population is suffering immense casualties. Dried seahorses are used in traditional Chinese medicine and are sold as souvenirs throughout Asia. The seahorse's striking appearance means they are in demand for aquariums and home aquatic tanks. To top it all off, continued development is destroying areas of sea grass, the seahorse's natural habitat. However, there are measures you can take to ensure that the seahorse remains a living creature and not just a fairy tale.
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Instructions
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Avoid buying dried souvenir seahorses or any traditional medicines that may contain seahorses. Millions of seahorses are harvested from the ocean each year to fuel these trades.
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Do not purchase seahorses for home aquariums. These are caught in the wild and buying them promotes the destruction of seahorses and their wild habitats.
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Support aquariums that are working on developing captive seahorse breeding programs and supporting conservation. Breeding seahorses in captivity is rare and difficult. If made more successful, breeding programs could supply aquarium specimens, promote public education and even help reintroduce threatened seahorse species to the wild.
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Avoid chemical fertilizers or harsh cleaning products, especially if you live in an ocean watershed. These products contaminate the water and poison the seahorses' habitat. Seek out natural cleaning products and slow-release, organic fertilizers instead to help conserve areas of sea grass.
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Avoid shallow areas where there is sea grass, the natural habitat of seahorses, if you boat in or near the ocean. Do not motor through sea grass. Instead, lift your propeller and drift into the shallows. Then, use a push pole or trolling motor to move around.
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Stay in marked boating lanes while out on the water. Get a map to help you navigate. This will help you avoid sensitive sea grass areas that may house seahorses. In addition, it will help save other animals such as manatees.
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Encourage others on the water to preserve sea grass and talk to them about the plight of seahorses and seahorse conservation.
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Buy fair trade goods from Asian countries to promote a local diversification of marketable skills. Many fisherman and villages rely almost completely on the harvest of seahorses. Finding other ways for local people to earn a living is key to saving the seahorses.
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Tips & Warnings
Even little decisions can help seahorse conservation
Be educational but not confrontational when spreading the word about conservation and seahorses.
References
Resources
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