Father’s Day surprise: Birch Aquarium welcomes dozens of baby Weedy Seadragons
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Birch Aquarium in Southern California welcomed dozens of baby Weedy Seadragons over Father’s Day weekend.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography has announced the arrival of more than 70 baby Weedy Seadragons, which hatched over Father’s Day weekend.
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Just like seahorses, the male seadragon is the one responsible for carrying the eggs, which makes the Father’s Day hatch even more special.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek
Weedy Seadragons are found only in the temperate waters around Australia, in seagrass beds, rocky reefs and shallow sandy areas. They face several challenges in the wild like climate change, warming oceans, compromised habitats and destructive fishing practices.
Birch Aquarium says the babies are the result of their second-ever successful Weedy Seadragon egg transfer after the male and female Weedy Seadragons completed their courtship “dance” and successfully transferred the eggs to the male’s tail on April 20.
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The aquarium is located at 2300 Expedition Way in La Jolla. The babies just recently hatched, so visitors won’t be able to see them just yet. The aquarium said the babies are currently just over an inch long and will remain behind the scenes for now as they grow.
Birch Aquarium’s “Seadragons & Seahorses” features one of the largest seadragon habitats in the world.
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Back in March, five Weedy Seadragons that were old enough went on display to the public in the Seadragons & Seahorses exhibit after being hatched last year part of the aquarium’s first successful egg transfer.
The aquarium also just recently sent four of their year-old Weedy Seadragons to the New England Aquarium in Boston, Mass.
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Learn more about Weedy Seadragons online. The public can watch seadragon feedings, along with the aquarium’s seadragon cam.
The aquarium launched its Seadragon Breeding Program in 2021.
The aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with extended seasonal hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from March 1 through Labor Day. Visit the aquarium’s website to learn more and don’t forget to check the daily schedule for hours and special events.
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