Seahorse

Hippocampus

In theory, seahorses are protected animals. In 2002, they were listed under Appendix II of CITES, an international treaty designed to ensure that international trade of wild animals does not threaten their survival. Some countries, including Thailand, Indonesia and the Phillipenes imposed blanket bans on seahorse exports, but these measures have not saved seahorses, instead, creating a black market. In traditional Asian medicine, they are believed to have viagra-like powers. It is also claimed that eating seahorse provides the body with nourishment and energy, usually mixed with herbs and boiled into tea. They are also seen as a treatment for asthma, impotence and male sexual dysfunction, but there is no evidence to back this up. It is estimated that around 37 million seahorses are caught in the wild every year, and despite the regulations in place to save them, smuggling is still prevalent. Worldwide research shows that populations of 11 species of seahorse have dropped by between 30% and 50% over the last 20 years.