Ria Formosa Seahorses

Did you know that the Algarve has one of the largest seahorse communities in the world? Protected by the Ria Formosa dune system, the long-snouted and short-snouted species that reside there benefit from a habitat consisting of a labyrinth of marshes, channels and islets.

With an incredible ability to camouflage, this enigmatic marine being hides several curiosities, such as the fact the male is the one who gives birth and maintains a monogamous relationship with the female, with whom he synchronizes the movements while swimming with their tails linked together.

However, in recent years, a community of almost two million seahorses, by far the highest population density in the world, reduced to just over 150,000 and is at risk. Annually tens of millions of seahorses are captured all over the world, mainly due to their medicinal use in the East. In Ria Formosa the decline is justified by climate change and the increase of water temperature, which has brought invasive species, along with the direct intervention of man, with the excess of maritime traffic and illegal fishing.

Initiatives such as the projects of the Centro de Ciências do Mar and Seahorse, have been contributing to the survival of the species. In the Algarve this subject has deserved special attention in the recent past, with the inauguration of urban sculptures by the artist Bordalo II, which warn for the need to preserve Ria Formosa seahorses.

Discover this and many other curiosities about the Algarve and visit us, at Engel & Völkers Albufeira-Carvoeiro.