Q&A with our top iSeahorse contributor, Dennis Rabeling – Citizen Science Month
When Project Seahorse syngnathid biologist Dr. Miguel Correia and research biologist Elsa Camins were in the Canary Islands earlier this year, they connected with Dennis Rabeling, the top contributor to our citizen science project, iSeahorse, a scuba instructor and owner of Euro Divers Lanzarote.
We caught up with Dennis afterwards to talk about how he got into diving, what keeps him uploading seahorse sightings, and why even one photo can help build knowledge for conservation.
You’ve spent much of your life underwater. How did your journey into diving and passion for citizen science begin?
My dad was a dive instructor, and he introduced me to the world underwater when I was about eight years old. You could say he just put me straight in the water. Later, when I was 18, I became a dive instructor and started traveling. I always enjoyed taking photos underwater, especially of small critters.
Citizen science came into it later. Here in the Canary Islands, I first got involved in a local project, and then a client introduced me to iNaturalist. After that, I got completely into it. I started uploading more and more observations, and because I shared quite a lot of seahorses, I was eventually invited to contribute to the project. Since then, whenever I see a seahorse, I upload my observation to iSeahorse.
What does contributing a seahorse sighting look like in practice for you?
For me, it usually starts with taking a photograph. The photo then helps me remember the details, like where I saw the animal, the depth, and whether it was male or female. Without that, it can be quite hard to recall the details. In the evening, when I have time, I go through the photos, upload them, and add the information. It has now become a part of my routine.
What motivates you to keep contributing your observations?
It is a good feeling to know that what you are sharing is useful and help scientists fill the research gap. It is also very rewarding to learn that the information from your photo matters in the long run. long run.
Sometimes you also get to meet the amazing scientists and researchers behind the project, like Elsa and Miguel, which makes it even more meaningful.
And for me, at the end of the day, I really like these magical fishes and I want to keep seeing them. Because I run a dive centre, they are also part of the experience I share with my clients. So of course, I want them to stay in the ocean and not disappear.
What is a good observation to upload?
A photo does not have to be perfect to be valuable. As long as you can identify the animal, it can still be useful. I also upload photos that are not great in an artistic sense, not something you would post on Instagram, but they still matter. That is the strength of citizen science. Something that might seem like a bad photo can actually be important data.
How do you help others get involved in citizen science through your work?
I often talk about it between dives, especially when we have a break. If I have taken photos during the dive, I upload them and then share the iNaturalist link with my clients so they can see what we saw in the wild. People usually react really positively. Some of them end up creating their own accounts and start uploading observations themselves. It is a nice way to show them that what they see underwater can be part of something bigger.
You’ve spent years recording seahorses. What continues to fascinate you about them?
We often see pregnant males, which is very cool. Sometimes you also see pairs together, even swimming upwards with linked tails. I have also noticed clear differences between species. The short-snouted seahorses here tend to stay in one place on a specific rock, while the West African seahorse moves around more. Sometimes you can see it swimming over the sand, and then when you get closer, it suddenly stops, almost like it realizes it has been spotted. These behaviours make every encounter interesting.
Finally, what would you say to someone who is curious about contributing to iSeahorse?
Just try it. Even if your photo is not perfect, it can still be useful. And it can also be rewarding for you. You learn more, you remember what you have seen, and you are also helping advance seahorse science at the same time!