Surely there
is no other creature as outlandish and wildly imagined as the sea dragon or the
sea horse. I simply had to find a way to
put one or both into a story, and eventually they made their way into 'The Sea Urchin', an unsettling tale about a waif child born of the sea who lures a boy
into her watery world, never to be seen again.
The sea dragon and the sea horse barely feature, but I liked to imagine
them anyway; they fit well into this tale of weird and wonderful creations that
surely must have been imagined by a Universe on acid. Think about it for a minute. Sea anemones, jellyfish, angler fish, sea
horses....they are all so alien, so otherworldly; barely conceivable.
Here are some interesting facts about sea dragons: they are small delicate fish - yes, fish - found near Australia. There are only two types; the leafy and the weedy. I particularly like the leafy sea dragon because it is such a master of camouflage among plants, and is rarely eaten despite having numerous predators. Like the sea horse, the male carries the eggs and also cares for them after they have been hatched, which can take up to nine weeks. These are the only creatures in the world where this happens (that we know of). The babies take a year to grow to adult size.
Something else I love about seahorses: they pair for life. And they meet first thing in the morning to reinforce their pair bonding, with an elaborate courtship display. As they approach each other, they change colour. And they can also change colour very quickly to disguise themselves whenever they need to (again, in the same way as chameleons).
With thanks to www.theseahorsetrust.org and www.a-z-animals.com for the information in this blog.
My story 'The Sea Urchin' can be found and read for free at: http://shortstorysunday.com/2015/05/31/sea-urchin-by-julie-dawn/
Here are some interesting facts about sea dragons: they are small delicate fish - yes, fish - found near Australia. There are only two types; the leafy and the weedy. I particularly like the leafy sea dragon because it is such a master of camouflage among plants, and is rarely eaten despite having numerous predators. Like the sea horse, the male carries the eggs and also cares for them after they have been hatched, which can take up to nine weeks. These are the only creatures in the world where this happens (that we know of). The babies take a year to grow to adult size.
Closely
related is the sea horse, whose Latin name, Hippocampus, means 'horse
caterpillar' (yes, truly). They have excellent eyesight and their eyes work
independently of each other (rather like chameleons) so they can look backwards
and forwards at the same time. Whoever dreamt
up that?
They are carniverous, eating shrimp and plankton, and suck up prey into their toothless mouth with long, thin snouts, like vacuum cleaners. Their snouts even
expand if the prey is large, rather like a snake does when swallowing
something bigger than itself. Seahorses
can't chew; they digest the food as they eat it. And baby seahorses eat a
staggering 3000 pieces of food every day!
It's surprising they don't end up the size of sharks. But only one in a thousand babies survive.Something else I love about seahorses: they pair for life. And they meet first thing in the morning to reinforce their pair bonding, with an elaborate courtship display. As they approach each other, they change colour. And they can also change colour very quickly to disguise themselves whenever they need to (again, in the same way as chameleons).
Here's something else you may not know: seahorses are poor
swimmers (presumably sea dragons are too).
Their dorsal fins beat 30-70 times per second to propel them forwards
and their pectoral fins help to steer and give stability. There are between 30 and 40 species worldwide
and new ones still being discovered. But they are also under serious threat,
thanks to traditional Chinese medicine (which takes up to 150 million seahorses
per year), the Curio Trade (leaving
them to die in the sun and them selling them as souvenirs) and the pet trade,
where most die within a short timeframe.
I have decided that I am going to find an organisation that is
trying to save the seahorse, and support it .
(I am assuming the sea dragon is not endangered: I may have to research this further.) A creature so unique, so quirky and beautiful and vulnerable, whose
disappearance from the earth may not be largely noticed by anyone or anything,
but whose absence would certainly leave this world a poorer, duller place. I wonder if anyone will join me? With thanks to www.theseahorsetrust.org and www.a-z-animals.com for the information in this blog.
My story 'The Sea Urchin' can be found and read for free at: http://shortstorysunday.com/2015/05/31/sea-urchin-by-julie-dawn/
4 comments :
That is fascinating and so tragic, is there anything mankind doesnt destroy for incredibly stupid reasons, I was brought up by the sea for a time in my childhood and I remember clearly my grandfather bringing me home a sea horse that had unfortunatley been caught in his nets, he was not an emotional man by any means but was clearly upset at having destroyed such a brautiful creature... a shame more people dont think like that.
Please let us know if you find a suitable organisation saving these exquiste creatures.
I have found this non-profit organisation: http://www.saveourseahorses.org/home.php
Alarmingly, they are also predicting extinction over the next 20 to 30 years, if nothing is done. A linked organisation is: http://www.theseahorsetrust.org/save-our-seahorses.aspx, and there is a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/saveourseahorses
Spread the word!
Hello Julie, I also am fascinated by these marvelous creatures of the sea. As an artist, I create by hand Seadragons and Seahorses out of porcelain. Last year I donated a percentage of my sales to the Hawaii Seahorse Foundation. I am always looking for new ways to sell my artwork so that I may be able to continue and support causes to save these beauties. Please feel free to give me any advice that you may have on where I may be able to sell my artwork. Thanks!
My work can be viewed at: www.nicholasdiblasio.com
Thanks Nicholas, for your interesting comment. I will certainly look out for anyone who may be interested in selling your artwork. I suppose it may be difficult to sell in the UK if they are made of porcelain? Let me know if that is a factor.
I shall look at your website; thank you!
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