Little Horses of the Sea....
Since childhood I’ve always had a huge love of horses…4 legged ones who canter you though the forest and across the countryside. Such beautiful, mystical animals!! Both mine (Firgus and Ossie) are now in the big green field in the sky, but I still love to ride when I get the chance.
Now SEAHORSES…they’re a new love! We recently had a catch up with our partners and friends at Sea Changers, to discuss how we could get more involved in their amazing work, and they suggested The Seahorse Trust…WOW we’re so glad they did, what an amazing charity!!
The Seahorse Trust was set up in 1999 as an umbrella organisation to preserve and conserve the natural world, especially the marine environment, using Seahorses as their flagship species. Although they are a small charity, they are highly effective and very innovative on how they raise funds and awareness, to protect these fragile eco-systems.
SO, WHAT IS A SEAHORSE….
Seahorses are a unique fish species that occupy tsyhe coastal areas of most of the world. They live in water, breath through gills and have a swim bladder. However, they do not have caudal fins and have a long snake-like tail. They also have a neck and a snout that points down.
There are two species around British Coastline, the Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus Guttulatus) and the Short Snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus Hippocampus).
Both British Seahorses can be found from the Shetland Isles, mainly down the west coast of the UK (and all around Ireland) and along the south coast of England.
The British Seahorse Survey (BSS) was set up in 1994 and is the longest running continuous survey of its kind in the world. Run by volunteers, sightings from the survey are fed into the National Seahorse Database (NSD), the only one of its kind in the UK, and as a result of this survey, they manage to get both British seahorses protected.
It is now illegal to kill, take or disturb seahorses in British waters!
Want to know more….The Seahorse Trust run a biology, ecology and conservation course.
The Seahorse Trust also have a Seahorse adoption scheme…such a great idea and wonderful way to support the trust…we had to adopt our very own Harbour Hounds Sea horse…CHOWILAWU a fully grown Spiny Seahorse, who is fully pregnant here.
CHOWILAWU - Hopi Native American name meaning “Joined together by water”
We LOVE him!!!!
The Seahorse Trust website is an amazing resource and there is an ocean full of fascinating information…go check it out The Seahorse Trust
Purchase a Harbour Hounds Seahorse EM Tick-Off Necklace and you will aso be supporting this wonderful charity…we donate 10% of these sales to The Seahorse Trust.
