We had a chance to check Seadragons & Seahorses the new permanent exhibit at The Birch Aquarium. This 18-foot-wide, 9-foot-tall exhibit holds more than 5,000 gallons of water and it's home to Weedy and Leafy Seadragons, as well as several species of seahorses and pipefish. 
This habitat was designed to breed seadragons. The Birch Aquarium hopes to be the first aquarium to successfully breed Leafy Seadragons in captivity. Seadragons are a wonder to the eye, particularly the Leafy Seadragon with its ornate camouflage and leaf-like appendages.
This exhibit is fascinating for a number of reasons:
-It educates the public on their existence.
-Threats to their environment.
-The plight of scientists to fight extinction of this species.
“Birch Aquarium’s Husbandry team has been committed to breeding seahorses and seadragons for 25 years,” said Jennifer Nero Moffatt, the aquarium’s senior director of animal care, science and conservation. Like most other species, both terrestrial and marine,seahorses, pipefishes, seadragons, and their relatives face many threats, including habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and direct exploitation in the form of overfishing and bycatch. The Seadragons & Seahorses exhibit is included with paid admission to the aquarium.
While at the Birch, don't forget to check out Oddities a comic book-inspired exhibit that highlights the super powers of ocean species also included with paid admission to the aquarium.
Why We Love The Birch Aquarium
The permanent collection at the Birch features more than 60 habitats of fishes and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and the western Pacific. This interactive museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps scientists on climate, Earth and ocean science. Learning is contagious at this aquarium with plenty of hands on exhibits, like our favorite Tide Pool Plaza which overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This man made tide pool exhibit is home to sea stars, sea anemones, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, lobsters, and other organisms.
For More Information Visit: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/
Location
2300 Expedition Way
La Jolla, CA 92037
Open 9—5 Daily
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