What threatens seahorses?
Seahorses are exploited for use as traditional medicines, aquarium fishes, curios (souvenirs), and tonic foods. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the largest direct market for seahorses, but they are also used in other traditional medicines. Almost all seahorses in aquariums are wild-caught, while dead seahorses are incorporated into jewelry, key chains, paper weights, and other crafts. They are also threatened by the destruction of their coral reef, mangrove, seagrass, and estuarine habitats through human activities. Furthermore, many seahorses are caught accidentally (as bycatch) in fishing nets, particularly in trawl nets intended to catch shrimps.
