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Resident of Krabi - Yellow Tiger-tail Seahorse

Ringing in good tidings for the newindependently of each other. Ranging in
year, a newly immigrated resident tosize from the tiny 10mm to 35cm, the
Krabi was spotted by one of ourlargest is the Pacific Seahorse.
instructors on New Year's Day. At 4-cmSeahorses eat small crustaceans which
long, he appears pregnant. Yes, "he" wasthey catch by staying still and lying in
pregnant as the male in this species arewait till their prey comes near, and
the ones to get pregnant and productive!they snap them up. Then their tube-like
Krabi, south of Thailand, is the gatewaymouth creates a vacuum that sucks the
to the famous Andaman Sea where scubaprey in and they swallow their food
divers and snorkellors from all over thewhole.
world convene as winter approaches inSea horses are unusual in a couple of
the western world. Famous for itsways. One is that they are monogamous
incredible waters, great visibility andand have long courtship periods when
huge variety of dive terrain, Krabi is amating. Monogamy is unusual in all
must-stop for all nature and wateranimals but particularly among fish. The
lovers on vacation in Asia. operates thelonger a couple of seahorses stick
premier scuba-diving and eco-tourismtogether, the better they are at
center in the heart of Aonang, theproducing babies. It is the males of
sea-side town of Krabi. Here, you canseahorses that carry their eggs in a
launch off to the amazing Similans,pouch on his belly, after the eggs have
Richelieu Rock, Phi Phi islands, Phuketbeen deposited there by the female. The
and Lanta. And lets not forget theeggs are fertilised in the pouch and
relatively unexplored local Krabi watersincubated between 10 days to 4 weeks
where the caves and caverns provide abefore they hatch. At hatching, the male
great underwater adventure. And here isgives birth to fully developed but tiny
where we found our Tiger-Tailed Seahorselittle seahorses. The natural lifespan
on New Year's Day!of seahorses is not known, but believed
Seahorses are amazing creatures. Theto be from one year for small species to
seahorse is one of four families in thefive years for the larger species.
syngnathiform family which also includesHighly elusive and difficult to spot in
pipefish, flag-tail pipefish andmoving water, finding a seahorse is
seadragons. They swim in an uprightevery diver's dream come true.
position with their tails down and theirSo, you can imagine our absolute
heads up using their dorsal to moveeuphoria when we spotted the little
forward and pectoral fins for steeringyellow Tiger-Tail. Being creatures of
control. Also unique for theirhabit, once settled into a location,
prehensile tail (able to twist &they tend not to move too much. Hence,
grasp),tube-like mouth (with no teeth),we can find it again and would love to
and small gill openings. Seahorses (likeshow it to you.
chameleons) can even move their two eyes



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