Seahorses too tiny to weather the storms
The heavy rain along the Garden Route over the past weekend has not only affected motorists and homeowners, but also some of the area’s smallest of creatures.
There have been several reports of endangered Knysna seahorses washing up on beaches in Plettenberg Bay. These seahorses, which are endemic to the Keurbooms, Swartvlei and Knysna estuaries, tend to live at shallow depths and storms lead to them washing up as they become dislodged from their holdfasts and leaving them at the mercy of the rough water conditions.
These iconic creatures are found in quiet waters among eelgrass and algae and are on average only 7cm in size. The Knysna Basin Project team has since reminded residents and visitors that this was a natural pressure event that seahorses in smaller estuaries face during a flood event.
“If you find a seahorse that is still alive, return it to the estuary as soon as possible,” said Louw Claassens of the Knysna Basin Project.
She also cautioned to limit handling of these tiny marine animals to reduce the risk of them suffering infections.
Claassens also asked that those who come across washedup seahorses to share their observations with her via the Knysna Basin Project Facebook page or by emailing kyss.louw@ gmail.com or WhatsApp 082 928 9391.