Hold Your Seahorses! Chesapeake Bay's Underwater Meadows Have New Residents

Seahorses are returning to Chesapeake Bay as eelgrass beds recover, according to a report from Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus)—the only seahorse species found in the bay—typically grow 5 to 6 inches long and spend summers tucked into underwater grass beds in the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay. The eelgrass provides structure for seahorses to cling to, hide from predators, and ambush tiny crustacean prey. Photos from an eelgrass restoration site show seahorses appearing after seedlings established. Mike Naylor of MD DNR, involved in the restoration, said follow-up monitoring confirmed the quick response, noting eelgrass is habitat, not just a plant.