• The White's seahorse is deemed Australia's only threatened seahorse species
• In a bid to save the species, experts are designing seahorse hotels 
• The structures will juveniles while they mature and acclimate them into the wild

The White's seahorse is deemed Australia's only threatened seahorse species and the second endangered species worldwide.

In an attempt to recover declining populations, researchers are designing seahorse hotels that will start as artificial habitats and grow into natural ones.

The project will protect juveniles while they mature, while also acclimating them into the wild.

The new breeding and conservation was developed by SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in collaboration with a suite of organizations including the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) who are the two main partners.

The White's seahorse is deemed Australia's only threatened seahorse species and the second endangered species worldwide. In an attempt to recover declining populations, researchers are designing seahorse hotels that will start as artificial habitats and g

Robbie McCracken, Aquarist and Seahorse Expert at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is leading the project and commented, 'I'm thrilled with the progress of the breeding project to date.'

'White's seahorse is an interesting animal and sadly, largely due to natural habitat loss, this species is now classified as endangered.'

The long-term aim is to support the overall recovery of the species with the installation of seahorse hotels in Sydney Harbour which will encourage the recovery and ongoing breeding of White's seahorse given so much of their natural seagrass, sponge and soft coral habitat has disappeared.

Dr. David Harasti, Senior Marine Scientist with DPI Fisheries, has over a decade of experience working with seahorses and will oversee the release and follow-up and said, 'One of the key aspects of this project is that we will be implementing a monitoring program to assess how the babies go once they are released back into the wild.

'This will involve lots of diving surveys at the seahorse release sites to assess their growth, survival and if they start breeding in the wild.'

'The installation of the seahorse hotels will also provide a new home for the seahorses within Sydney Harbor and we will closely monitor how this conservation tool helps the species to recover.'

Following the healthy birth of many juvenile White's seahorses, Robbie and the project team are now ready for the next phase of the project—constructing the seahorse hotels this month.

The project will protect juveniles while they mature, while also acclimating them into the wild

Inspired by discarded crab traps, seahorse hotels were trialed in Port Stephens in 2018 and 2019 and were found to be very successful in attracting seahorses which led to mating and breeding.

These seahorse hotels start as artificial habitats that grow into natural habitats once they are placed in the marine environment. 

Over time they are grown over by sponges, algae and animals that colonize these structures, making them the perfect home for seahorses. 

Seahorse hotels will continue to be constructed over the next few months and placed in Sydney Harbor early in 2020, ahead of the release of the juveniles raised in SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

The SEA LIFE Trust's 'Ocean Youth' are helping with the seahorse hotel construction, along with Seadragon Diving Co. and Sydney-based Indigenous Sea Rangers with support from DPI's Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS).

The species was named after John White, Surgeon General to the First Fleet and is endemic to the east coast of Australia. 

White's seahorses can be found in a variety of colors and they actually can change their color to match what they are living on.