About 40 different species of seahorses live in a variety of coastal habitats around the world. With horse heads, monkey tails, vacuum mouths, and kangaroo pouches they may seem all mixed up, but they’re actually well adapted to thrive in their habitats.

What They Eat
Seahorses are predators. To eat, they suck in tiny animals like zooplankton and microscopic shrimp.

Where They Live
All seahorses require shallow coasts where there are plenty of things to hold and enough moving water to carry food to them. Habitats include mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows.

What They Do
Newborn seahorses drift with the ocean currents until they eventually settle in a new place. They then stay close to home, rarely venturing further than a few yards away.

How They’re Doing
Seahorses are in danger globally. They are bycatch (captured accidentally in fish nets) and hunted for use in traditional medicines and foods. Many governments regulate their trade but numbers remain low. .