| Magical seahorses at home in Devon's seas | |
|  | Seahorses are amazing creatures!
Photos: The Seahorse Trust |
| | Seahorses aren't just found in exotic, warm climates - they also live in Britain's coastal waters, and Devon is one of their strongholds. |
| | | If you're lucky and you know exactly where to look, you'll find shoals of beautiful seahorses just yards off Devon's beaches.
Their presence in our coastal waters isn't new - they were first recorded here hundreds of years ago.
But a survey, carried out by the Exeter-based Seahorse Trust, is giving us new information about the amazing creatures.
The British Seahorse Survey was launched in 1994, so this is the 10th anniversary, making it the longest continuing study of its kind anywhere in the world.
As part of the survey, the public are asked to tell the trust of seahorse sightings in the UK.
 | | The Spiny Seahorse is one of two species living off the Devon coast |
The aim is to collect enough information to take to the Government, to ask for Britain's seahorses to be granted named species protection.
That would give them the same sort of protection as other animals, such as endangered species of bat.
So far, there have been over 300 recorded sightings of seahorses around Britain's shores - and Devon is one of the strongholds. In Paignton, they live just 100-200 yards from the shore.
Neil Garrick-Maidment, of the Seahorse Trust, said: "Tor Bay is a great places for seahorses.
"Britain has two species of seahorses - the spiny and the short-snouted, and both can be found in Tor Bay. They like the eel-grass there, and they're very close to the shore.
"We've also got seahorses on the inside of Drake's Island in Plymouth South, where there's also eel-grass. And seahorses have also been seen in the River Tamar.
"In fact, there are reports of seahorses in many of our estuaries. And we've just had a report of a sighting at Saunton Sands in North Devon."
 | | Seahorses love the eel grass in Tor Bay |
The survey has also uncovered some interesting facts: "It was believed that our seahorses migrated during winter, but they don't.
"They just move to deeper waters," said Neil.
Seahorses are under threat worldwide, mainly because they're used in Chinese medicines. The trade is responsible for claiming around 20 million seahorses each year.
And, as Neil said, there's no evidence that the use of seashorses in medicines actually works.
Another threat comes from people taking them home as pets, where in most cases they die very quickly.
The trust, which is a registered charity, works with other conservation groups towards improving education.
The survey, which is part-funded by English Nature, is set to continue until Britain's indigenous seahorses get the protection they need.
In the meantime, Neil, who handed his collection of seahorses to Plymouth's National Marine Aquarium, is hoping to open a new £1m seahorse centre in Devon.
The emphasis would be on conservation and education. Watch this space!
Article published: 20th July 2004
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