After two decades of conservation efforts, an elusive sea creature has made a comeback as exciting as Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" announcement.
Seahorses have made a remarkable resurgence off the south coast of England in Studland Bay, a designated marine conservation zone since 2019. The Guardian reported that a group of volunteer divers with the Studland Seahorse Project has been monitoring the area and that sightings are "greatly increasing" in the Dorset waters.
One of those volunteers, Mark Fox, was quoted by the Guardian: "Seahorses are tricky to spot. When you see them, it's brilliant."
The key to the seahorse comeback was cultivating an environment where seagrass would thrive. Unfortunately, boating is responsible for destroying much of the habitat because of its anchors ripping out the roots of seagrass.
"It takes years to grow back. It's a long process but we're getting there," said Ken Collins, another volunteer and emeritus fellow at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, per the Guardian.
The executive director and founder of the Seahorse Trust, Neil Garrick-Maidment, was elated with the progress, saying: "It is fantastic to start seeing seahorses back in Studland Bay. It has been an incredible team effort."
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Anytime an animal disappears from its native environment, it's a concern because it disrupts the natural ecosystem. Whether it's habitat loss, hunting, poaching, disease, invasive species, pollution, or climate change, it's an indicator that something abnormal is occurring. Particularly with seahorses, trafficking is a major problem. Between 2010 and 2021, nearly 5 million seahorses were seized by authorities across the globe at a worth of $29 million.
The good news and bad news is that almost, if not all, of these eco-disruptors are caused by human activity. While natural factors also influence the temperature, the Environmental Protection Agency maintains that the rising heat over the last 100 years can only be explained by the large amounts of planet-warming gases released by humans since the Industrial Revolution. Experts are already declaring that 2025 will be the hottest and deadliest year ever recorded.
Many animals have to seek new habitats and migration patterns as temperatures continue to rise. These warmer temperatures are also what's causing extreme weather events around the globe — and they're only going to get worse. When the Earth is off-balance, it affects all of us.
The good news is that changing our habits and contributing to conservation efforts can make a big difference. Transitioning to clean energy and reducing the need for coal, oil, and gas will minimize your carbon footprint and reduce pollution. Use your vote to support green candidates who share your climate concerns and values. It can feel insurmountable, but taking local action is a good start, and you might even make some fun, new friends while you're at it.
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