Editing Seahorse (section)

== Conservation ==
Seahorses are iconic and charismatic animals whose conservation is of global concern.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Vincent |first1=A. C. J. |last2=Foster |first2=S. J. |last3=Koldewey |first3=H. J. |date=June 2011 |title=Conservation and management of seahorses and other Syngnathidae |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03003.x |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |language=en |volume=78 |issue=6 |pages=1681–1724 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03003.x |pmid=21651523 |issn=0022-1112}}</ref> Preserving seahorses' varied habitats, including seagrass beds (such as ''Posidonia oceanica'' and ''Zostera marina''), mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, seaweeds, and all the creatures that inhabit them, is closely related to protecting seahorses. Owing to their widespread use in collective imagery, these fish are popular wildlife viewing destinations, frequently serve as flagship species for international conservation campaigns, and are especially good at attracting public engagement in community scientific projects. According to Woodall et al.,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Woodall |first1=Lucy C. |last2=Otero-Ferrer |first2=Francisco |last3=Correia |first3=Miguel |last4=Curtis |first4=Janelle M. R. |last5=Garrick-Maidment |first5=Neil |last6=Shaw |first6=Paul W. |last7=Koldewey |first7=Heather J. |date=January 2018 |title=A synthesis of European seahorse taxonomy, population structure, and habitat use as a basis for assessment, monitoring and conservation |journal=Marine Biology |language=en |volume=165 |issue=1 |page=19 |doi=10.1007/s00227-017-3274-y |issn=0025-3162 |pmc=5717113 |pmid=29238097}}</ref> these creatures are susceptible to anthropogenic activities such as habitat degradation brought on by residential, commercial, and touristic coastal development, as well as accidental bycatch from damaging fishing equipment like dredges and trawls. There is little ecological data on seahorses because of their low population, seemingly dispersed location, and cryptic behavior.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Foster |first1=S. J. |last2=Vincent |first2=A. C. J. |date=July 2004 |title=Life history and ecology of seahorses: implications for conservation and management |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00429.x |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |language=en |volume=65 |issue=1 |pages=1–61 |doi=10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.00429.x |issn=0022-1112}}</ref> Because of all these traits, seahorses are especially difficult to survey, assess, and monitor in order to enhance their conservation status. Conservation of these fishes depends on an understanding of their threats, distribution, and preferred habitats, which necessitates a thorough understanding of their regional ranges.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Bosso |first1=Luciano |last2=Panzuto |first2=Raffaele |last3=Balestrieri |first3=Rosario |last4=Smeraldo |first4=Sonia |last5=Chiusano |first5=Maria Luisa |last6=Raffini |first6=Francesca |last7=Canestrelli |first7=Daniele |last8=Musco |first8=Luigi |last9=Gili |first9=Claudia |date=2024-03-01 |title=Integrating citizen science and spatial ecology to inform management and conservation of the Italian seahorses |journal=Ecological Informatics |volume=79 |pages=102402 |doi=10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102402 |issn=1574-9541|doi-access=free }}</ref> Finding hotspots and possible hazards, as well as confirming their existence, actually depends on getting a good resolution of their presence and movement to carry out maps on their distribution.<ref name=":0" /> Maps can be used to assess future seahorse datasets and to pinpoint regions of study interest where more information can be gathered about the presence, quantity, habitat choice, influence of human activities, and status of seahorses.<ref name=":0" />