The Best Exotic Seahorse Hotel
Birch Aquarium unveils underwater "Seahorse Hotel” to highlight ongoing seahorse conservation efforts.
Photos: Jordann Tomasek, Birch Aquarium
In the shallow estuarine waters of Australia, a remarkable species lives among the sponge gardens, seagrass meadows and soft corals – the White’s Seahorse. But over the years, these seahorses — and countless other species — have lost a significant amount of habitat at an alarming rate. That’s where the Seahorse Hotel comes in!
A Creative Approach to Conservation
Inspired by ongoing habitat restoration projects in Australia, the Seahorse Care Team at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego recently installed a Seahorse Hotel in the White’s Seahorse habitat. These innovative artificial habitats provide a new type of sanctuary for seahorses and help spread a creative conservation message of hope.
“We hope our Seahorse Hotel not only educates guests about an inspiring and successful conservation effort but also highlights the vital role public aquariums – like SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and our own Birch Aquarium – play in protecting our ocean and the species that call it home,” said Mark Yun, Seahorse Care and Conservation Aquarist at Birch Aquarium.
A Special Seahorse
Endemic to the east coast of Australia, White's Seahorse are slow-moving fish that spend their days snacking on tiny crustaceans (like amphipods, copepods and mysis shrimp) and attaching themselves to nearby objects with their unique prehensile tails.
Sadly, this species has been severely impacted by habitat loss, especially from boat mooring installations, dragging anchors and excessive sand movement that’s buried significant habitat. As a result, this species is now listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.
That’s why habitat restoration initiatives like the Seahorse Hotel are crucial.
Restoring Habitats, Reviving Hope
In Australia, several organizations have installed Seahorse Hotels in areas where natural habitats have been lost. Over time these underwater hotels become covered in vibrant marine life – like algae, sponges, coral and more – and provide abundant shelter and food for the seahorses.
Many sites have already seen success, giving hope for the future of this remarkable species! Since 2019, more than 200 hotels have been placed in lost habitat areas and hundreds of captive-bred seahorses have been released into these hotels to help restore wild populations.
“Our White’s Seahorse breeding program at Fisheries Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, is exceeding all expectations,” said David Harasti, Principal Marine Scientist of Threatened Species and Habitats. “Thanks to these innovative seahorse hotels, we’ve released 1,500 captive-born seahorses into the wild this year alone, and our goal is to release 3,000 by June 2025.”
This ongoing effort is supported by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, the NSW Estuary Asset Protection program and the Commonwealth Saving Native Species program.
Guests can find Birch Aquarium’s Seahorse Hotel in the White’s Seahorse habitat in the Seadragons & Seahorses exhibition. The aquarium also offers daily seadragon talks where guests can learn more about Weedy Seadragons, a fascinating relative of seahorses.
About Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Birch Aquarium features the groundbreaking work of Scripps Oceanography and UC San Diego scientists as well as conservation breeding programs and interactive exhibits. Birch Aquarium’s mission is to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet, which it achieves through engaging hands-on learning opportunities for more than 500,000 guests and 40,000-plus pre-K-12 students each year. Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu for more information.
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Dec 13, 2024