The New Straits Times 24 Jan 10;
Pygmy sea horses, a treasure beneath the azure waters of Sabah, are in danger and tangible solutions are needed to protect them, writes JASWINDER KAUR
BARELY the length of a finger-nail, a pygmy sea horse clings to the fan shaped coral it calls home deep below the surface of the sun-kissed blue sea in southeastern Sabah.
It is small and very difficult to spot given that it camouflages itself with branches that make up the sea fan, but most recreational divers don't mind straining their eyes to catch a glimpse of it.
They have no inkling, however, that constant flash photography may have a negative impact on pygmy sea horses.
Two of the nine known pygmy sea horse species are at the centre of a pioneering study that aims to not only gather information on its ecology, but also offer solutions to Sabah's diving industry which depends on the long term survival of iconic sea life.
The two -- hippocampus denise and hippocampus bargibanti -- along with other sea horses are listed as endangered and vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Their colours range from yellow to orange, and pinkish to red, and the shade that the two species take depends on the sea fan.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's student Yeong Yee Ling, who is doing her Master's, has done more than 100 dives in Semporna waters. Yeong says very little is known about the existing numbers, life-span, eating habits and threats to pygmy sea horses.
"Almost daily, pygmy sea horses are visited by hundreds of divers. Based on feedback, I am told irresponsible dive masters move the sea fans these two species live on, to shallower waters so that their customers can view them easily.
"The H. bargibanti lives on sea fans at a depth of 16 to 40 metres, and H. denise survive on sea fans at 13 to 90 metres below the surface of the sea, making it difficult for divers to remain long under water due to the depth.
"Flash photography is also a disturbance. I was told about a pygmy sea horse that fell off its sea fan after it was exposed to strong flashlights from cameras. The next day, the sea horse was no longer there," said Yeong, who chose to study the two species following a suggestion by her supervisor.
Last month, Yeong and her supervisor Choo Chee Kuang also from UMT, teamed up with Sabah Parks and WWF Malaysia to get views from dive masters at the many resorts in Semporna.
They spent two nights at Mabul island learning about the threats facing the two species.
The general consensus from about 50 dive masters was that pygmy sea horses are in danger, with reasons ranging from flash photography and divers touching sea fans, to "abduction" for the aquarium trade, and coral bleaching from rising global temperatures.
The dive masters agreed that lack of knowledge on the species, pollution from resorts and boats, and destructive fishing were some of the other threats that must be dealt with.
To manage the problem, they came up with some suggestions, including getting members of their fraternity to minimise the use of flash bulbs in photography, to stop touching the species with pointers, and to cancel a dive if anyone touched the sea fans.
Some groups said new divers "who are happy to see everything" should not be taken to see endangered species, while others wanted dive masters to assess the buoyancy skill levels of their customers.
Choo, who is also the leader of Save Our Sea Horses Project, said his team would work with Sabah Parks and WWF Malaysia to come up with guidelines for dive masters and divers.
"Dive masters themselves need to help, because the authorities cannot monitor what goes on underwater.
"Pygmy sea horses are a treasure for Semporna, and they are facing threats. We recognise that pygmy sea horses are a significant attraction for divers, and that is why we came here. We want to find tangible solutions," Choo said.
Sabah Parks marine conservation officer Nasrulhakim Maidin said: "Loss of pygmy sea horses equates loss of biodiversity which will bring a loss to tourism. The diving industry has to regulate itself as it will help them in the long run."
Nasrulhakim said Yeong's study had discovered pygmy sea horses in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, apart from waters that are not gazetted as conservation areas.
"We need to identify diving sites where these species are found, and make sure divers who enter the park do not touch them," he said.
The study and workshop was made possible through the Shell Sustainable Development Grants Programme which helps non-governmental organisations, special interest groups and individuals involved in sustainable development activities.
