Rare seahorses breeding in Thames
Colonies of rare seahorses are living and breeding in the River Thames, conservationists have revealed.
The short-snouted variety are endangered and normally live around the Canary Islands and Italy.
The seahorse has been spotted near Dagenham, Tilbury and Southend. It is thought to be mainly a salt water creature, usually found in shallow muddy waters, estuaries or seagrass beds, so it is not clear how far up the Thames it will go.
But the Zoological Society of London, which released its findings, said the discoveries suggested that the Thames was becoming cleaner.
"It demonstrates that the Thames is becoming a sustainable, bio-diverse habitat for aquatic life," said Alison Shaw, manager of the Society's marine and freshwater conservation programme.
clipped from www.newscientist.com
