- SEA LIFE, Coral Reefs
Perhaps the coolest thing about seahorses...
... is that the males brood their babies! A male Seahorse has a brooding pouch on its belly into which a female can place her eggs. After a few weeks when the babies are ready, the male Seahorse gives birth. He rocks back and forth like a rocking-horse whilst the tiny baby seahorses pop out from a small hole in his tummy.
Did you know?
You can find seahorses in oceans all over the world! There are over 40 species. Some live on coral reefs, others amongst mangrove roots and many live in seagrass meadows. Pygmy Seahorses are as tiny as your little finger nail, but Big-belly Seahorses will be even bigger than your hand!
Their Ancient Greek name is Hippocampus, which means ‘horse sea monster’. But we don't think our seahorses are monsters at all!
Unfortunately, seahorses are at risk of extinction due to the pollution and destruction of their habitat. 150 million seahorses are also captured and killed every year to use in traditional medicine.
Seahorse tails are prehensile, Which means they can use them to grip things like a monkey's tail! Seahorses hang onto seagrass or coral so they can't get swept away in the current.
Did you know that there are two species of Seahorse that can be found in the waters around the UK and Ireland?
