Strange But True - Seahorse Dad Gives Birth at NZ Marine Studies Centre & Westpac Aquarium

By Tessa Mills

Portobello, New Zealand - There was a special event at the Aquarium in Portobello this morning - one of our seahorse dads gave birth! The event was first spotted by a volunteer from Canada who is helping at the Marine Laboratory and Aquarium for 6 weeks, and was highly delighted to be present at the birth!

The baby seahorses have been released into the harbour but we managed to get a photo of one of the babies first (attached). They are not easy to photograph because the babies are only about 6mm long - But they are perfectly formed and able to fend for themselves from birth.

Staff were able to find about 100 seahorse babies, but this species of seahorse could give birth to 300 or more at one time!

A second male seahorse is pregnant and expected to give birth in the next few days.

NZ Marine Studies Centre & Westpac Aquarium Hatchery Road, Portobello, Dunedin, NZ www.marine.ac.nz Ph +64 3 479 5826 AQUARIUM OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 4.30PM

To view NZ Marine Studies Centre & Westpac Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-2143-New_Zealand_Marine_Studies_Centre_and_Aquarium