-
File image of a seahorse swims in a tank.
The Knysna seahorse can once again be viewed at the SANParks office in Knysna in the Western Cape. The educational display tank was recently restocked to raise awareness about this unique species.
SANParks says the display is part of its campaign to strengthen conservation education.
The rare species is found in nature in only three estuaries in the world. They are the Swartvlei in Wilderness and the Knysna and Keurbooms estuaries in Plettenberg Bay – all located in the Garden Route region.
SANParks spokesperson JP Louw says, “The indigenous Knysna seahorse has been successfully restocked at the SANParks offices at Thesen Island in Knysna. This initiative forms part of SANParks ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the unique species and to strengthen conservation and education in the Garden Route National Park.”
These seahorses are renowned for their unique reproductive strategy where males carry and give birth to their live young.
It is the only known seahorse species to be completely estuarine dependent.
“The Thesen Island office is one of the few locations in South Africa permitted to house and display the captive Knysna seahorses for educational purposes. The display tank at Thesen Island offers visitors a unique opportunity to view these iconic marine creatures up close and personal while learning about the threats they face in the world, including habitat degradation and pollution,” says Louw.
The seahorses are protected under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, which prohibits the collection of the species without a valid permit.
The degradation of their habitat and pollution have been cited as some of the threats to the survival of the species.
