SEAHORSES: ENVIRONMENT
NEWS: DRI
busts international seahorse smuggling racket at Bengaluru airport
WHAT’S IN THE
NEWS?
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted an international
smuggling racket engaged in the illegal trade of dried seahorses at the
Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
Family:
Seahorses belong to the pipefish family.
Camouflage: They
have chromatophores in their skin cells, allowing them to change color and
blend into their surroundings, making them hard to spot.
Unique
Reproduction:
- Male seahorses and sea dragons are the ones
that get pregnant.
- After an elaborate courtship, the female
deposits eggs into the male’s brood pouch for fertilization.
- The male gives birth to a few dozen to up to
1,000 baby seahorses, which must survive on their own.
- Only about 0.5% of the baby seahorses survive
to adulthood.
Ecological Role:
- Seahorses have a strong, long-term
relationship with their habitats.
- They feed on bottom-dwelling organisms and
small shrimp.
- They are preyed upon by invertebrates, fish,
sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals.
Threats:
- Many of the 47 known seahorse species are in
decline due to habitat loss, pollution, fisheries, and use in traditional
medicine.
- They are also affected by capture for the
aquarium trade, although captive-bred seahorses are more resilient in
tanks than wild ones.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/dri-busts-international-seahorse-smuggling-racket-at-bengaluru-airport/article68491589.ece