Seahorses found in Britain's cleaner River Thames

Handout picture shows a short-snouted seahorse.

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Marine biologists believe seahorses could be breeding in the Thames as the river becomes cleaner.

About five short-snouted seahorses, (Hippocampus hippocampus) have been spotted during routine conservation surveys, leading scientists to think they have probably established a resident population.

The news has been kept secret until now because the seahorse has not been protected.

But from Monday, the marine creature and its environment will have protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

The seahorse has been spotted near Dagenham, Tilbury and Southend.

It is thought to be mainly a saltwater creature, so it is not clear how far up the Thames it will go.

So little information is available on the short-snouted seahorse that it is not clear how endangered they are.

But the Zoological Society of London, which released its findings, said it indicated the Thames was becoming cleaner.

"Usually found in shallow muddy waters, estuaries or seagrass beds, their presence in the Thames estuary is another good sign that the water quality of the river is improving," a spokesman for the society said.

There are signs that the seahorse is breeding on the south coast too.

But it warned that any disturbance to its habitat could be disastrous.

Other creatures protected by the Act from Monday include the water vole, angel shark, Roman snail and long-snouted seahorse.

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Steve Addison and Paul Casciato)