With a Venezuelan stamp: dance to survive extinction Venezuelan biologists are working to repopulate seahorses (Hippocampus reidi) in Mochima National Park, an effort to restore a species vital to marine ecosystem health. The project involves laboratory breeding, acclimation, and community engagement, transforming local fishermen into “guardians of the sea.” This initiative highlights Venezuela’s capacity for local conservation solutions, using the seahorse as an indicator of environmental well-being.

• Venezuelan biologists are undertaking a project to repopulate seahorse populations in Mochima National Park.
• The seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) is an indicator species sensitive to pollution and water temperature changes.
• The project utilizes aquaculture for conservation, standardizing laboratory breeding protocols.
• Key phases include specimen collection, controlled gestation (with males incubating eggs), and acclimation before release.
• Mochima National Park offers ideal conditions due to upwelling and a diversity of microhabitats (mangroves, seagrass meadows, coral reefs).
• Community involvement, including local fishermen, is crucial, turning them into “guardians of the sea.”
• The seahorse’s survival success serves as a “thermometer” for the health of conservation efforts.
• This initiative demonstrates Venezuela’s technical capacity for biotechnology applied to conservation using local knowledge.