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Meet the seahorse
The female places her eggs in the male's pouch, where he fertilises them, feeds them and finally releases tiny seahorses.
🏡 Seagrass meadows, coral reefs and mangroves in warm shallow seas.🍽️ Tiny shrimp and plankton, slurped up through a snout.⏳ 1–5 years.🛡️ Many species are threatened by seagrass loss and by trade in dried seahorses.
Friends and family
Many species pair up and meet each morning for a greeting dance.
Dads carry and birth the young; mums visit every day while he's pregnant.
How they talk
Clicks and colour changes.
How clever are they?
Seahorses learn the best ambush spots and return to them.
What they feel
Pairs change colour and spin together when they meet — a bond ritual.
Superpower: Fastest slurp
A seahorse's snout snaps shut on prey in under 1/100th of a second.
👀 See the world through their eyes
Sight
Each eye moves separately, so one watches for food while the other watches for danger.
🤓 Did you know?
- Male seahorses are the ones who get pregnant.
- Seahorses have no stomach, so food passes straight through.
- A seahorse's grip tail can hold on in strong currents.
Living alongside people
Millions are caught each year for souvenirs and medicine; seagrass restoration is bringing some back.