The University of Bari identified a decline in the population of seahorses and sea cucumbers in Mar Piccolo
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Environmentalists in Italy are trying to preserve a population of seahorses from poachers and pollution.
The creatures live in a Puglia lagoon near a decommissioned steel works called the Mar Piccolo.
Marco Dadamo, Director of Palude La Vela Natural Reserve, said: “The Mar Piccolo is an authentic treasure chest of biodiversity. For this reason, it was identified as a Regional Natural Park by the Puglia Region in 2020. There are many very important species in terms of fauna and flora.”
However, those species have been plundered by criminal gangs since 2016, who have sold seahorses and sea cucumbers to markets in Asia.
The University of Bari noticed a worrying decline in the seahorse population and has begun work to protect the environment.
For a full report on the seahorses of Taranto, watch the report above.