Each larvae has its own tissue pocket and gets nutrients and oxygen from the male bloodstream. At the end of the two to three week period, he goes into a series of contractions and gives birth to fully-developed juvenile seahorses that are exact scale replicas of adult seahorses but measure only eight millimeters long. Exploitation of seahorses worldwide is threatening the Hippocampus ingens population. Each year, China uses at least twenty million seahorses and another million are exported for use in aquariums. Traditional Chinese medicine uses seahorses for the treatment of kidneys, broken bones, impotence, asthma, arteriosclerosis, skin ailments, and thyroid disorders.
Seahorses are also mixed with medicinal herbs for body tonic and aphrodisiacs.
There is, however, little scientific evidence that these uses are effective. The Center was established in 1992 to continue Mutual of Omaha s long-time tradition of promoting conservation education. Each year the Center awards cash grants, scholarships and special citations to individuals and organizations involved in wildlife preservation. The seahorses will eventually be exhibited to the public in the Steinhart Aquarium to heighten awareness of the need for protection of seahorses and endangered ecosystems. Press Release Main Page Earth, Ocean, Space.