Australian seas are home to both high species diversity and high proportions of endemic species. Being the third largest marine jurisdiction in the world, Australia caters to 11% of the known marine species in the world. It contains significant environmental assets such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and kelp forests that serve as natural habitats for diverse populations of marine plants and animals.
Approximately 50 species of seahorses worldwide, and at least 17 of them are found in Australia alone. However, they showed a significant reduction in the past years. In Port Stephens, 90% of the soft coral and sponge habitats have declined. These regions were previously known for being seahorse hotspots. Experts believe this decline is due to human activities such as installing boat anchoring and mooring and sand movement. The seahorses were forced to thrive on swimming nets in the harbor but were forced to be further displaced as the nets were regularly cleaned.
Conservation Step for Species Recovery
In response to the declining seahorse population, the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, in collaboration with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), conducts a breeding program for this species. In this program, the White's seahorses are encouraged to breed, and after giving to the young, the baby seahorses are sent back to the ocean in metal structure on the seafloor. It also aims to monitor the success of trying to reverse the declining population of this species, which was already listed as endangered in 2020.
To help recover seahorse populations, the creatures must thrive in suitable habitats. Clifton Gardens offers a sheltered bay, an ideal spot for installing seahorse "hotels" as it mimics their natural homes. Inspired by lost crab traps, these hotels were created to act as custom-built seahorse breeding facilities. Even if they are man-made structures, the hotels will be grown over by sponges and algae over time, making them the perfect habitat for seahorses.
The wild seahorses were recovered from Clifton Gardens and were moved to Sydney Aquarium to give them time for reproduction. A special team of divers under the guidance of aquarist and seahorse expert Robbie McCracken regularly observe the released baby seahorses. The project's initial phase was conducted in 2020, and in its fourth year of implementation, the team is set to release hundreds of baby seahorses back to Australian waters.
A Closer Look at the White's Seahorse
White's seahorse, or Hippocampus whitei, is a species endemic to Australia. Also known as New Holland or Sydney seahorses, these creatures are named after John White, who served as a Surgeon General to the First Fleet in the 18th century.
This species also favors shallow-water estuarine habitats. Although they occur in eight estuaries on the NSW Coast, they are most abundant in Port Stephens, Sydney Harbour, and Port Hacking. They can live up to six years in the wild but also thrive in artificial protective swimming net habitats.
September to February serve as the breeding season for White's seahorses. The male seahorse can give birth to up to 100-250 babies. They also can reproduce up to 8 times during the breeding season.
Read also: Male Seahorses Give Birth: What Role Does Courtship Play in This Animal Species' Pregnancy?
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