Super rare long-snouted seahorse spotted off Cornwall coast

Underwater footage shows an extremely rare spotting of a British long-snouted seahorse in the seagrass off England’s southwest coast.

The spiny creature was once common along the southern UK coastline. But the destruction of seagrass meadows, a vital nursery habitat for the marine species, has led to their population dwindling.

Marine biologist Mark Parry, who made the sighting this week, said he had never seen a seahorse in the wild in the seven years he has been diving in seagrass.

The Ocean Conservation Trust has been working to restore seagrass beds and raise awareness of their environmental importance.