This image has been available in our booth for about a year. Before that it was recognized at one of the monthly competitions at our local camera club. Nancy took this picture at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta during our last Sea Explorer summer trip.
Leafy sea dragons live in the coastal waters all along the southern edge of Australia. They rely on camouflage for protection. Like seahorses, the males care for the eggs. After they hatch, the young sea dragons are on their own. They grow to about ten inches. In the wild, only 5% live to maturity. In captivity, the survival rate just went above zero for the first time. The Australian government has protected Sea Dragons since the early 1990s.
For more information (and a larger picture), check out our website.
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