Researchers at the University of Queensland have embarked on a mission to conduct the first-ever study of White’s Seahorses in a bold new attempt to save them from extinction.

The aim is to quickly plug the critical information gaps surrounding the species of seahorse – one of only two in the world now to be classified as ‘endangered’. 

The task will be led by Associate Professor Karen Cheney from the University of Queensland’s School of the Environment. It follows the classification of the species some five years ago as ‘endangered’ after it was discovered that some populations in New South Wales had declined by as much as 90% within just six years.

“Similar population declines may have occurred in Queensland, but the species has never been studied here so no conservation efforts exist, unlike in New South Wales,” said Dr Cheney. “Seahorses are highly selective with habitat choices and have minimal ability to move, so they are very susceptible to disturbances.”

The White’s Seahorse is a species native to the east coast of Australia and one that is found mostly in its estuarine environments. However, a recent confluence of human induced environmental impacts, including the changing climate conditions, flood events, and dredging has led to the rapid loss of critical White’s Seahorse habitat, including seagrass beds and soft coral environments.

Such impact has left scientists concerned over the conservation status of the species, one that grows to somewhere between just ten to 15 centimetres in length and lives in coastal bays across very shallow waters to regions about ten to 15 metres deep.

In collaboration with the Sea World Foundation, researchers will conduct hundreds of surveys in hotspot areas across South-East Queensland to find, tag, and release as many of the species as possible. The mission has called on public engagement to help by talking photos and reporting sightings to the researchers’ online database.

“Critical information such as where they are found, what habitats they are associated with, what their population structure is and climate impacts are completely unknown,” said Rowan Carew, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. “This project aims to understand these critical aspects of the Queensland population so appropriate conservation actions can be developed to ensure survival.”

The call for public engagement has come with some very stringent caveats calling for non-invasive or destructive means of recording White’s Seahorse sightings. Anyone looking to help the cause by collecting data should “keep at least 30cm away” and “try not to disturb them”. Keen-eyed photographers are encouraged to take a clear photo “preferably from the side, with a scale of some sort.” They are also asked to record the time and the exact location.

Once images have been captured, citizen scientists are encouraged to upload these and their location to the dedicated platform while ensuring they do not share information publicly, given the growing demand for seahorses among aquarium collectors.

On the whereabouts and size of the White’s Seahorse population in Queensland, Dr Cheney added: “We keep seeing them, we know they are here, we just don’t know anything about their population structure, what type of habitat they like to live on, and we just don’t know how many we have got.”

In terms of future conservation, the project aims to determine where efforts should next be focused. A charismatic little fish, seahorses are considered a critical “indicator species” for ecosystem health. 

Making the task somewhat more difficult is the fact that White’ Seahorses can alter their colour, both long-term for camouflage and in short fast-patterns – part of their mating rituals. It’s not yet known if the Queensland seahorses are “genetically the same as the seahorses found in Sydney”, but genetic testing will be a part of the project as it leads to further studies in the State.

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