Year-old sea dragons make a splash as they debut at California aquarium after dad’s historic pregnancy
- In March 2023, a female sea dragon transferred her eggs to a male, who gave birth to 70 newborns
It is extremely rare for sea dragons to breed in captivity.
It is extremely rare for sea dragons to breed in captivity.
Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
More than 10 years ago, Leslee Matsushige travelled to Australia to study sea dragons.
After observing the sea creatures’ behaviours and habitats, Matsushige – who is an associate curator at the Birch Aquarium in the US – set out to build a sea dragon display that would be optimal for sea dragons to mate and breed.
In March 2023, a male weedy sea dragon’s historic pregnancy resulted in 70 newborn sea dragons. This was “the first successful transfer of eggs from a female sea dragon to a male” at the Seadragons and Seahorses habitat at the Birch Aquarium.
Now, the fruits of Matsushige’s labour are “swimming into the spotlight”, as five young weedy sea dragons go on display at the aquarium.
While the sea dragons spent a year behind the scenes, the aquarium said they grew from half an inch to about nine inches long.