Seahorse conservation can benefit from translocations

What is it about?

Populations of the endangered Knysna seahorse, Hippocampus capensis, in the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries are genetically distinct. However, the fact that they have diverged very recently and still share many alleles means that they should be managed as a single unit.

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Why is it important?

Presently, only the population in the largest estuary (Knysna) is large enough to ensure the species' long-term survival. If anything happens to this population, the species will likely become extinct. Our data suggest that genetically diverse back-up populations can be created in the smaller estuaries.

Perspectives