Seahorse

Hello! My name is Kuda, and I am a Yellow Seahorse. I am a fish, but I have a head that looks just like a little horse. Isn't that silly? I love to swim straight up and down in the water. One of my favorite things is to change my colors. I can be a very bright yellow, just like the warm sun. Sometimes, I change to brown or get spotty so I can hide in the seaweed. I have a long, curly tail. I use my tail to hold on tight to the seagrass. This helps me stay in one place so the big ocean currents don't whoosh me away.

Yellow seahorses inhabit seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs. It is like a garden with colorful coral and seagrass that sways back and forth. My favorite food is tiny shrimp that wriggle in the water. When I see a yummy shrimp, I point my long snout at it and—SLURP! I suck it right up like a vacuum cleaner. My family is very special. My dad is the one who carries the babies! After my mom lays her eggs, she puts them in a special pouch on my dad's tummy. He keeps them safe and warm there until they are ready to hatch.

I might be a small seahorse, but I have a very big job to do in the ocean. By slurping up all the tiny critters for my meals, I help keep my ocean home balanced and healthy for everyone. I am a tiny treasure of the sea, and I love my home very much. When people help keep the oceans and the seagrass beds clean, they are helping me. They help all my seahorse friends have a safe place to live and play.