I was looking for algae in the coral gardens yesterday when I spied something bobbing in the current: a tiny seahorse!

“I’m Seabiscuit – born and raised in Landaa’s Marine Discovery Centre, then released into the Biosphere Reserve,” he announced, proudly drawing up his armoured chest. “You probably haven’t met many like me.”

He was right – seahorses are endangered and particularly sensitive to pollution. I was lucky to spot him.

“I usually try to keep a low profile,” he said. “Too many seahorses are caught annually for use in traditional medicine – and there aren’t many of us as it is. Our survival rates are low, even though our fathers give birth to up to 1,000 babies at a time.”

Fathers? Babies? My confusion must have been obvious as Seabiscuit let out a whinny of laughter. “Our mothers deposit their eggs in our father’s pouch after a fin-fluttering mating ritual,” he explained.

I was amazed at the confidence of this tiny delicate creature, drifting at the mercy of the currents. How could he survive in the underwater world?

“It’s tricky,” Seabiscuit sighed. “Pollution is destroying our habitat and reducing zooplankton, the tasty microscopic crustaceans that we love to eat.”

I was looking for algae in the coral gardens yesterday when I spied something bobbing in the current: a tiny seahorse!

“I’m Seabiscuit – born and raised in Landaa’s Marine Discovery Centre, then released into the Biosphere Reserve,” he announced, proudly drawing up his armoured chest. “You probably haven’t met many like me.”

He was right – seahorses are endangered and particularly sensitive to pollution. I was lucky to spot him.

“I usually try to keep a low profile,” he said. “Too many seahorses are caught annually for use in traditional medicine – and there aren’t many of us as it is. Our survival rates are low, even though our fathers give birth to up to 1,000 babies at a time.”

Fathers? Babies? My confusion must have been obvious as Seabiscuit let out a whinny of laughter. “Our mothers deposit their eggs in our father’s pouch after a fin-fluttering mating ritual,” he explained.

I was amazed at the confidence of this tiny delicate creature, drifting at the mercy of the currents. How could he survive in the underwater world?

“It’s tricky,” Seabiscuit sighed. “Pollution is destroying our habitat and reducing zooplankton, the tasty microscopic crustaceans that we love to eat.”

He reminded me how sensitive marine organisms are to the toxins that humans pump into the sea. “We like to live and feed among sea grass and mangroves, but it’s hard to find a healthy patch these days…”

I thought of all the different chemicals that spill into the sea each day, from farming fertilisers to pesticides, oil leaks to petrol, sunscreen to micro and decomposing plastics – all contaminating the water on a daily basis. No wonder tiny, delicate seahorses are in decline!

Luckily, I knew just the place. Together, we ventured slowly to the reef where my old friend, Maryam the butterfly fish, was tending her coral garden.

She quickly settled Seabiscuit into a spot fit for a champion and as I watched him anchored to his new seagrass stable, I felt relieved to have helped this little survivor find a home safe from pollutants and harmful hands.

He reminded me how sensitive marine organisms are to the toxins that humans pump into the sea. “We like to live and feed among sea grass and mangroves, but it’s hard to find a healthy patch these days…”

I thought of all the different chemicals that spill into the sea each day, from farming fertilisers to pesticides, oil leaks to petrol, sunscreen to micro and decomposing plastics – all contaminating the water on a daily basis. No wonder tiny, delicate seahorses are in decline!

Luckily, I knew just the place. Together, we ventured slowly to the reef where my old friend, Maryam the butterfly fish, was tending her coral garden.

She quickly settled Seabiscuit into a spot fit for a champion and as I watched him anchored to his new seagrass stable, I felt relieved to have helped this little survivor find a home safe from pollutants and harmful hands.