A Mozambique Village Where Seahorses Were Dried for Sale Now Runs Seahorse Snorkel Tours

In November 2018 local police seized 1,782 dried seahorses from traffickers leaving Mangalisse village near Vilankulo. ParCo, a community partners association based in Vilankulo, answered with an education campaign, seahorse surveys and the community-run Indigo Seahorse Adventure, which takes guests on traditional dhows to snorkel with seahorses. ParCo's own reporting puts the drop in poaching at an estimated 80 percent, and a tax on each tour funds an emergency fund for families in need. In its September 2026 update the project reported more than 50 tours and over 200 guests so far that year, with more than 10 seahorses spotted on the most recent tour.