Lidl shopping carts become seahorse homes in Portugal
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
WWF Portugal and Lidl Portugal partnered to create underwater shelters for seahorses in the Tagus Estuary, Portugal.
The organizations installed nine repurposed shopping carts as habitats for common and long-snouted seahorses, species found in high densities near Trafaria. They took this action because natural habitats are scarce and accumulated waste used by the seahorses was scheduled for removal.
Before deployment, the teams modified the carts by removing plastic, adding attachment points, expanding the interior space, and treating them to prevent rust. This ensured the carts would function as environmentally sound shelters. The project also aims to encourage biological growth, stabilize sandy seabeds, and strengthen the resilience of this important wetland area. Lidl Portugal funded the project with 90,000 euros, gathered in part through sales of reusable shopping bags.
Customers purchased “solidarity turtle bags” made from recycled coastal plastic for 1 euro each, with half the proceeds going to WWF Portugal’s ecological restoration projects. Local fishermen helped determine the shelter locations to balance conservation with fishing activity. The initiative is part of the larger D-EVOLUÇÃO national ecological restoration project, which seeks to build partnerships between organizations, businesses, and citizens to restore Portugal’s ecosystems.
