| Range: |
Tropical oceans worldwide |
| Habitat: |
Shallow ocean waters, near coastlines |
| Conservation Status: |
Unknown |
| Scientific Name: |
Hippocampus spp. |
You know it’s not a horse, but did you realize it’s a fish? The sea horse is one of the ocean’s strangest animals. It’s a fish that swims upright in shallow ocean waters, propelled by a vibrating fin on its back. It can also hold onto seaweed and other plants with its curled tail. The sea horse can eat any kind of animal small enough to be sucked into its tiny mouth. But perhaps most bizarre is the fact that a female sea horse lays her eggs in a pouch on the male’s belly. The babies develop there, then hatch as miniature adults.
Of the several dozen species of sea horses, many are facing population declines. Among the reasons: over-fishing by collectors, accidental capture by fishermen, and habitat decline. At least nine species are listed as vulnerable, one is endangered, and the other species are considered "data deficient."
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