This Sea Horses piece was commissioned to commemorate a 25th Wedding Anniversary; Seahorses are one of the few animals who are monogamous for life and different in that it they are one of the only species where the male becomes pregnant and gives birth to live young.
During courtship, the male and female seahorse will entwine their tails and perform an elaborate dance.
The female deposits her eggs into the male’s brood pouch, which is located on his abdomen. The number of eggs can vary from 50 to 1,500, depending on the species.
The male incubates the eggs for 14 days to 4 weeks, providing oxygen and nutrients to the developing young.
When the young are ready, the male gives birth to fully formed fry (baby seahorses) through a process that can take up to 12 hours.