When I first learned about science writer Till Hein's new book The
Curious World of Seahorses: The Life and Lore of a Marin Marvel, I
couldn't wait to get my hands on it. As I read it, my learning curve was
vertical and I kept saying, "I didn't know that!" Seahorses are tiny fishes
and there are about 50 different species. They're social, romantic, and
efficient hunters, and it's males who get pregnant. Concerning their
romantic proclivities, we're told:
"Every morning, seahorse couples engage in ritualistic dances to greet each
other, moving through intricate, rhythmic sequences of twists and twirls for
minutes to hours on end. While we humans may schedule dates with romantic
prospects to analyze our compatibility and get to know each other better,
seahorses prove we’re not the only species that ‘date!’ They engage in their
daily dances to strengthen their romantic bond, ensure their reproductive
cycles are properly synced and to verify each day that their partner is both
still fervently committed and, frankly, alive."
I'm very pleased Till could answer a few questions on his fascinating new
book about these charming fishers.
Marc Bekoff: Why did you write The Curious World of
Seahorses?
Till Hein: I regularly write articles for the popular
German print magazine "Mare" about fascinating subjects like ice sharks,
albatrosses, mangrove killifish, hagfish and whales. They also publish books
and one day the editors asked me whether I would be interested in writing a
nonfiction book about seahorses. Obviously I was delighted, because these
animals are so cute! But then I hesitated: "What do seahorses do all day?" I
asked myself. Maybe they are more like models than, let's say, actors: very
good looking, but with no gripping story? I called several marine biologists
and fish experts in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia and I learned
there is a lot of very interesting research going on concerning seahorses.
Seahorses are fish, although they don`t look very fishy.
....
Please read the ENTIRE INTERVIEW HERE.
Till Hein studied history, German, and Russian before becoming an editor and a science journalist. He is a great friend of fish and has written profiles of finned creatures for over ten years, from hagfish to gray sharks to seahorses. He lives in Berlin.
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