Dozens of baby dragons — make that Weedy Seadragons — just hatched at Birch Aquarium

A DRAGON SIGHTING IN CALIFORNIA: Encountering an enchanting animal while roaming the hills and coves of California would be quite thrilling, and, truth be told, it happens often: Hikers spy owls, bobcats, and the occasional bear with some frequency. Dragons, however? Well, they, too, exist, though not in their mythical form: Dragonflies often zip by our heads and, on occasion, weedy seadragons capture our ocean-obsessed attention. Some 70 small Weedy Seadragons are doing just that as summer 2024 begins, for Birch Aquarium in La Jolla just made a big birth announcement.

THE BABIES ARE OFF-VIEW — the diminutive dragonlings hatched on Father's Day Weekend, bestill our hearts — and remain behind the scenes, where the inch-long youngsters are growing bigger by the day. Their arrival was also perfectly timed, in a wonderful way: The male Weedy Seadragon carries the eggs after the female Weedy Seadragon positions them on the male's tail, where they are fertilized. Birch Aquarium has been a leader in Weedy Seadragon conservation, making this latest hatching exciting. "The babies are a result of the second-ever Weedy Seadragon egg transfer in our seadragon exhibit," shares the aquarium. In an upbeat social post, the aquarium asked that fans "just call us the House of the Seadragon."

OPEN DAILY: Eager to discover what an adult Weedy Seadragon looks like? You can at Birch Aquarium; get hours and admission prices now. But if you can't wait, check out the aquarium's Seadragon Cam now.