The Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau Seahorse Survey

Are pot-bellied seahorses declining in the waters of Tāmaki Makaurau?

Most people don't even know that we have a native seahorse- but we do! The manaia, or pot-bellied seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) occurs throughout New Zealand and southern Australia, and it's the biggest seahorse species in the world with some measuring up to 30 cm in total length.

Manaia live in sheltered bays and estuaries throughout the country, using their prehensile (grasping) tails to hold onto seaweed, mooring ropes, and seafloor detritus. They are ambush predators, using their well-camouflaged bodies to hide amongst the seaweed and snapping at passing tiny shrimps and other invertebrates with their long, horse-like snouts.

In Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau, anecdotal evidence suggests that seahorses are declining but there are no formal surveys to support this. The Kelly Tarlton's Marine Wildlife Trust has therefore begun a seahorse conservation project, and you can get involved too! The project has the following aims:

1) Repeat seahorse surveys carried out 25 years ago to assess the evidence for a population decline

2) Put out a regionwide call for seahorse sightings from citizens

3) Investigate the use of artificial habitats ('seahorse hotels') in supplementing existing seahorse habitat in partnership with our mana whenua partners Ngāti Manuhiri

So far, we have carried out five surveys at two sites, and we look forward to presenting these data soon. Watch this space for updates!

In the meantime, you can contribute by posting seahorse sightings to our iNaturalist project here.

Stay tuned for other ways you can get involved!