Some species of male seahorses actually give birth to their offspring. Unlike most other animals, where the female carries and gives birth to the young, in seahorses, the male seahorse has a special pouch in which the female deposits her eggs. The male then fertilizes the eggs and carries them in his pouch for several weeks until they are ready to hatch. When the time comes, the male seahorse gives birth to the tiny seahorses, which are fully formed and able to swim on their own within a few hours.