Sea horses have long been under siege and their numbers have become dangerously low. In this wise these fragile creatures share a perilous destiny with quite a number of other species. Rarities like rhino horns, abalone, shark fins, whales, dolphins, rare beetles, chameleons and many others are highly desired by the gentle folk of the Far East. If not used to inspire drooping male genitalia, they are firm favourites on menus from Beijing to Tokyo.
China alone consumes several million sea horses every year.
Here the result is that the world population of sea horses is under a real threat of extinction. One would have hoped that, given the need for Chinese dwang stiffeners and that nation's proclivity for ripping off intellectual property, a generic Viagra would long since have been available on Eastern streets - this could take a lot of strain off nature. Amanda Vincent, an American scientist working out of Oxford University, is dedicated to saving the sea horse. How she has gone about this was the subject of The Secret Life of Sea Horses , broadcast by BBC World in the new QED series. Then it was to the Phillippine islands, where villagers harvest what few sea horses they can now find.