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- Jan 6, 2003
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Just had to post this - There's something strangely magical and charming about sea horses. - and not just that it's the men who have babies! They are one of those creatures that could almost be mythical like the unicorn -
if they didn't actually exist.
But they are finding them in the Thames again now.
"Rare seahorse found in Thames
By Mark Prigg, Evening Standard Science Correspondent
14 June 2004
The latest sign of the improving health of the Thames is 15 centimetres long and has not been spotted since 1976. An Essex fisherman has discovered a male short-snouted sea horse living in the Thames. More common along the coast of Africa, experts believe the find could be the latest step in the regeneration of the river and that the tiny sea creatures could soon become a common sight in the Thames because of warmer sea temperatures and less pollution. David Knapp of the Sealife adventure centre in Southend is looking after the seahorse.
"But I think the hot weather at the moment and over last summer means they could be coming back.
"They do need salt water, so won't make it up to central London, but we'd expect them to become very common where the river is saltwater."
According to Mr Knapp, the sea horses should be able to create a breeding colony very quickly.
"Each male can have up to 200 babies, so a breeding colony could be out there already, and we just haven't seen it yet."
Mr Knapp claims the increased cleanliness of the Thames in recent years is largely responsible for the appearance of the sea horse.
He said: "We've seen an awful lot of life in the Thames lately, and we really hope it can get back to the levels in the Sixties and Seventies, when sea horses were common, along with a lot of other sea life.
"If people want to look for seahorses, I'd advise them to look in shallow water."
The sea horse, which is yet to be named, was discovered just outside Lea by Essex fisherman-Brian Baker in his nets among a clump of weed.
"He originally thought it was dead, but threw it in a bucket of water anyway. Ten minutes later he noticed it swimming around quite happily.
"Once he realised how rare the find was, he brought it to us," said Mr Knapp.
Fact file
14 June 2004
Seahorses have not been seen in the Thames since 1976
Male seahorses give birth and carry their offspring in a pouch like kangaroos. They can produce up to 200 babies - and males become pregnant again almost immediately
Male short-snouted seahorses can grow up to 15cm in length
They are normally found in the Canary Islands and along the African coast.
About 35 different species have been discovered
They have no teeth, and swallow their food whole
Each eye of a seahorse moves independently
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/11328105?source=Evening Standard
if they didn't actually exist.
But they are finding them in the Thames again now.
"Rare seahorse found in Thames
By Mark Prigg, Evening Standard Science Correspondent
14 June 2004
The latest sign of the improving health of the Thames is 15 centimetres long and has not been spotted since 1976. An Essex fisherman has discovered a male short-snouted sea horse living in the Thames. More common along the coast of Africa, experts believe the find could be the latest step in the regeneration of the river and that the tiny sea creatures could soon become a common sight in the Thames because of warmer sea temperatures and less pollution. David Knapp of the Sealife adventure centre in Southend is looking after the seahorse.
"But I think the hot weather at the moment and over last summer means they could be coming back.
"They do need salt water, so won't make it up to central London, but we'd expect them to become very common where the river is saltwater."
According to Mr Knapp, the sea horses should be able to create a breeding colony very quickly.
"Each male can have up to 200 babies, so a breeding colony could be out there already, and we just haven't seen it yet."
Mr Knapp claims the increased cleanliness of the Thames in recent years is largely responsible for the appearance of the sea horse.
He said: "We've seen an awful lot of life in the Thames lately, and we really hope it can get back to the levels in the Sixties and Seventies, when sea horses were common, along with a lot of other sea life.
"If people want to look for seahorses, I'd advise them to look in shallow water."
The sea horse, which is yet to be named, was discovered just outside Lea by Essex fisherman-Brian Baker in his nets among a clump of weed.
"He originally thought it was dead, but threw it in a bucket of water anyway. Ten minutes later he noticed it swimming around quite happily.
"Once he realised how rare the find was, he brought it to us," said Mr Knapp.
Fact file
14 June 2004
Seahorses have not been seen in the Thames since 1976
Male seahorses give birth and carry their offspring in a pouch like kangaroos. They can produce up to 200 babies - and males become pregnant again almost immediately
Male short-snouted seahorses can grow up to 15cm in length
They are normally found in the Canary Islands and along the African coast.
About 35 different species have been discovered
They have no teeth, and swallow their food whole
Each eye of a seahorse moves independently
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/11328105?source=Evening Standard
