seahorse exhibition at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum & Zoo (BAMZ).

In a partnership with Elbow Beach Hotel, the museum has sent out an appeal for help from members of the public to report sightings of the creatures living off the shores of the Island.

The Elbow Beach Hotel, which has a seahorse logo, has helped to fund the project to the tune of $5,875 and yesterday handed over the cash, which will pay for more research.

The centre already has a small number of seahorses, but hopes to have more to add to their collection within the next year.

Kendaree Burgess-Fairn, Director of Communications at Elbow Beach, said the hotel had a long association with seahorses and so was pleased to be the sole sponsor of the research project.

Head of Marine Operations at BAMZ Leeanne Hinton was responsible for proposing the research project and leading the group of volunteers who help every week to find the small fish in the waters around Harrington Sound and Walsingham.

She said: "The public can help with the project by calling us to report seahorses and the areas they have seen them.

"But please don't remove them from the water. They're very delicate and take a lot of care.'' Anyone who spots a seahorse should call the centre on 293-2727.

Making a splash: Leeanne Hinton (L) and Kendaree Burgess-Fairn display BAMZ's new seahorse logo.