Birch Aquarium Announces Pregnant Weedy Seadragon

In what is an extremely rare occurrence, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is announcing the first successful transfer of eggs from a female weedy seadragon to a male in the Seadragons & Seahorses habitat, which opened in May 2019.

Birch Aquarium Pregnant Weedy Seadragon

Pregnant Weedy Seadragon causes monumental milestone

“We’re elated to be able to witness this at the aquarium. It’s extremely rare for seadragons to breed in captivity so this is a monumental milestone for all of our staff,” said Jenn Nero Moffatt, Senior Director of Animal Care, Science and Conservation.

“We have been working with seadragons since 1996. Since then, we have learned so much about caring for these creatures and invested a lot in our breeding program. From the lighting to the rockwork; everything has been strategically designed with breeding seadragons in mind.”

Like seahorses, seadragon males — not females — are responsible for carrying eggs. An egg transfer is quick, but occurs only after the seadragons participate in an elaborate courtship “dance.” The male and female mirror each other, often with their tails curled away from their mate, and spin together snout-to-snout moving up and down in the water column. This dance is essential for the successful transfer of eggs from the female onto the male’s tail, where he then fertilizes and hosts the eggs.

Birch Aquarium’s seadragon will carry the eggs on his tail for four to six weeks until they are ready to hatch. Only a small percentage of eggs will develop. The aquarium’s Husbandry Team is keeping a close eye on the pregnant weedy seadragon. He is doing well and can be seen up close in Seadragons & Seahorses, though he might move behind the scenes closer to the hatching date.

Birch Aquarium Pregnant Weedy Seadragon

Seadragons & Seahorses

Seadragons & Seahorses features one of the largest seadragon habitats in the world. It was designed to create an ideal environment to breed seadragons. The stunning display is 18-feet wide, 9-foot-tall and holds 5,375 gallons of water.

Though this is the first time a seadragon has laid eggs on the public side of the aquarium, Birch Aquarium has previously seen success behind the scenes with the birth of two Weedy Seadragon babies in February 2020 when it became one of only a handful of aquariums in the world to breed these mysterious animals.

Endemic to southern Australia, Weedy Seadragons face challenges in the wild including climate change, warming oceans and compromised habitats.

Pregnant Weedy Seadragon

In partnership with Scripps Oceanography scientists, Birch Aquarium has been studying weedy seadragons both in the wild and in our state-of-the art captive breeding facility to alleviate pressure on wild populations.

Visit here to learn more about our Seadragon Breeding Program.

See you there, San Diego!

Share This Post
The Latest
Seabreeze Chocolates
Seabreeze Craft Chocolates has been quietly perfecting the art of small-batch chocolate making, and now they’re launching their Summer Pastry Pop-Up that has us genuinely...
Best 4th of July fireworks in San Diego
4th of July in San Diego is here…can you feel it? That’s right, it’s the smell of barbecues firing up, the sound of kids splashing...
Things to do in San Diego for 4th of July
Looking for things to do in San Diego for 4th of July? You’re in luck—there is no better place to celebrate the 4th of July...
San Diego County Fair 2022
Planning a trip to the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar? Here’s what you need to know before you go! Because we want to...
mavericks beach club sports courts
Mavericks Beach Club on Garnet Avenue has been busy transforming their space, and the result is something we’ve been waiting for in Pacific Beach. They’ve...
bottlenose dolphin calves
SeaWorld San Diego just welcomed two adorable bottlenose dolphin calves! Jupiter and Phin are the newest stars of the park’s dolphin program, and watching these...
Recently Featured Restaurants
A new fire has lit up Little Italy—Piedra Santa, an Argentinian-inspired steakhouse, is now open and bringing the bold, smoky tradition of open-flame grilling to...
Dora, a vibrant new Southern Italian restaurant from the husband-and-wife team behind Cori Trattoria, is set to open in La Jolla’s Theater District this fall—and...
There’s a breezy new addition to Little Italy’s dining scene! Brisa, an island vibes and Latin-Japanese fusion restaurant, is now open at the corner of...
Downtown La Mesa has a delicious new addition—Tour de Tapas, a restaurant offering Euro small plates and sips inspired by the culinary traditions of Spain,...
Tajima Crown Point is the latest addition to San Diego’s beloved ramen scene, officially opened on December 14 at 3782 Ingraham Street. Known for its...
Wildland in Carlsbad Village is officially opening its doors, bringing rustic cuisine and coastal-inspired dining to North County. This all-day restaurant, bar, and bakery from...