The endangered Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) has been successfully restocked in the educational display tank at the SANParks office on Thesen Island in Knysna.

George Herald reports that the initiative forms part of SANParks’ ongoing efforts to raise awareness about this unique species and to strengthen conservation education in the Garden Route National Park.

SANParks’ head of communication JP Louw says the Thesen Island office is one of the few places in South Africa permitted to house and display captive Knysna seahorses for educational purposes.

“This rare species is found naturally only in three estuaries in the world – Swartvlei, Knysna and Keurbooms – and they are all located within the Garden Route.

“The display tank at Thesen Island offers visitors a unique opportunity to view these iconic marine creatures up close while learning about the threats they face in the wild, including habitat degradation and pollution,” says Louw.

While the education permit allows for the housing of up to 50 adult seahorses, the tank population has declined significantly in recent years, with fewer than three breeding pairs remaining by early 2024.

The decline was primarily due to natural ageing, as most of the seahorses had exceeded their typical lifespan of five years.

As part of a once-off restocking effort, SANParks researchers introduced six young adult seahorses from the Knysna estuary to boost the tank’s breeding population and enhance genetic diversity.

This is in line with SANParks’ Threatened or Protected Species standing permit from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, read in conjunction with an exemption issued under the Marine Living Resource Act 18 of 1998, dated August 2016, which states the maximum numbers allowed to be stocked in the display tank and the specified conditions contained in both documents.

“These new additions are already contributing to improved breeding success, with recent signs of spawning offering hope for a sustainable, self-sustaining population in the display tank,” says Louw.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the SANParks Thesen Island office to view these fascinating creatures and learn more about the vital conservation work being undertaken to protect South Africa’s only endemic seahorse species.

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