Six yellow seahorses are found

Six yellow seahorses belonging to the same species are found to be active in the eastern waters of Hong Kong, but two other species are now missing, says an Ocean Park study.

The park's Conservation Foundation conducted a year-round survey of the fascinating creatures last year and discovered one male and five female seahorses belonging to the same species, Hippocampus kuda.

Two other species, the three-spot seahorse and the great seahorse, which were discovered in a 2010 survey, could not be located.

"We are still searching for the other two species, but it is too early to say whether they have disappeared from Hong Kong waters or not," said principal investigator Shadow Sin Ying-tung.

"Seahorses live in shallow tropical and temperate waters and hide themselves in mangroves, seagrass beds, corals reefs and estuaries. It is not easy for us to spot them," Sin said.

The foundation hired 12 divers to inspect 31 locations, and all the seahorses they found were observed at two diving sites in Sai Kung between November 2011 and April last year.

They also found three new fish species - flagfin prawn goby, emperor angelfish and humpnose big-eye bream.

Later this year, the foundation will kick off the second part of the study to look into their habitats.

A non-invasive external collar tag measuring 3 centimeters to 5cm will be attached to each seahorse by a thin and soft cord.

"They will be monitored for an in-depth study of their site fidelity, survival and growth," Sin said.

"The greatest risks they face are fishing and environmental damage. We hope to educate the public and share whatever data we may collect with the government," she said.

The yellow seahorse is listed as vulnerable in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The foundation says Hong Kong imports 7,000 kilograms of dried seahorses each year, of which 80percent are from Thailand.

瀕危物種管海馬在本港棲息情況受關注。海洋公園保育基金公布去年海馬普查結果，在西貢水域發現六隻管海馬，還首次發現三種未曾在本港水域出沒的魚種，基金在今年的普查將首次推行海馬標籤計畫識別，助追蹤其生長情況。有環團則建議擴大普查範圍及加密次數，令資訊更充足。

海洋公園保育基金在二○一一年九月至一二年十月，於本港東面三十一個水域地點進行海馬普查，最終在西貢兩個潛水區發現六隻俗稱管海馬的黃海馬，即時記錄其品種、性別、棲息環境和量度體長等，並首次發現三種未曾在本港水域出沒的魚種，分別為帆鰭虎魚、單列齒鯛，以及在水族館常見的皇后神仙魚。在上次同類調查，曾發現五隻黃海馬和三斑海馬蹤影。

負責普查的首席研究員冼映彤稱，今次普查可見西貢水域或適合作海馬棲息地，惟現有資料仍然不足，或需長期監察多五至十年，才能具體分析海馬在本港的生態趨勢。保育基金副總監吳守堅說，今年的普查在四月開始，將擴大普查水域範圍，或遍及大埔龍尾灘。他並促請政府修例保護海馬。

環保觸覺主席譚凱邦稱，是次普查可作為「一個起點」，惟結果相對上次變化不太，建議擴展普查範圍及加密次數，由每年改為每季一次。他認為，西貢或印洲塘等東面水域較多珊瑚礁，適合海馬棲息。

守護龍尾大聯盟成員郭惠玲指，今次結果連同此前龍尾灘發現四隻管海馬族群，可見海馬在港數目不多，促請政府保護海馬的棲息居所，並贊成擴大普查範圍，令資訊更充足。香港自然生態論壇發言人黃志俊稱，上述數據反映管海馬非政府所言屬「中度常見」，長遠應避免已知有海馬棲息水域受破壞。

此外，今年海馬普查將首次推行海馬標籤計畫，當發現海馬時，會在牠身上繫上細小標籤作為「身分證」，跟進其在本港水域生長情況和對棲息地忠誠度。

Hippocampus kuda, also known as the common seahorse, estuary seahorse, or yellow seahorse is a member of the family Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefishes] of the order Syngnathiformes. The common sea horse is a small, equine-like fish, with extraordinary breeding methods. Greeks and Romans believed the seahorse was an attribute of the sea god Poseidon/Neptune, and the seahorse was considered a symbol of strength and power. Europeans believed that the seahorse carried the souls of deceased sailors to the underworld - giving them safe passage and protection until they met their soul's destination. The common seahorse is considered a vulnerable species.

Source of Photo: Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.