Linking Tales

An intimate look at one of nature’s many miracles and how man’s fascination with the seahorse joins myth and reality.

Last week I went on an outing to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Perusing the grounds, I caught glimpses of bioluminescent jellyfish, playful sea otters, and lined up with children to delicately touch spiny sea stars. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both children and adults transfixed under a sort of magic spell. No doubt, I had arrived at the seahorse exhibition.

Seahorses are often thought of as mythical creatures. With a demure horse snout, kangaroo shaped torso spiraling downward, and the ability many have to change colors, the seahorse is an absolute wonder of nature. To see one is like gazing upon a tiny mythic sea dragon and more so; to find a seahorse in the ocean itself would feel like discovering a unicorn in and enchanted...