Seahorse Rescue Centre in Italy fights illegal poaching

The Seahorse Rescue Centre in Ravenna, Italy, is working to combat the illegal poaching of millions of seahorses. Founded in 2019 by the Experimental Centre for the Protection of Habitats (CESTHA), the facility is the world's first specialized seahorse hospital.

Seahorses are being poached in massive quantities across Europe and Indonesia to supply the market for traditional Asian medicine, where they are used as purported remedies for asthma, kidney problems, and impotence. Marine biologist Linda Albonetti, the center's coordinator, notes a declining trend in total populations due to this demand.

While exporting seahorses to China is technically prohibited, there are currently no specific laws preventing the trade in the same manner as protected species like sea turtles. The center works to treat injured animals caught in fishing nets before releasing them back into the Adriatic Sea and focuses on monitoring populations and maintaining relationships with local fishers.